No one's ideal relationship includes being separated from your significant other for weeks at a time or spending significant milestones away from each other. Unfortunately, thousands of couples find this to be a reality. Being separated by work, school, or other obligations is anything but easy.

Going into your freshman year of college, you lose all of your constants. You have to adjust to a new home, make a new schedule, and form a new routine. There are new friends, adventures, and experience, but if you find yourself in a long distance relationship - there is also a new heartache.

There are aspects of a long distance relationship that I would not wish on anyone, like missing important days such as birthdays and anniversaries. It's a learning curve, where you figure out how to incorporate each other into your day while balancing schoolwork and adjusting to your new life.

While all of this can sound completely draining, you'd be surprised at how much you can learn about yourself and your relationship while you're miles apart. The distance was the best thing for my relationship, and the lessons that it taught me could help you, too.

Patience

Whether it's a time zone difference, conflicting schedules, or hours of homework separating you, patience is the most important part of understanding distance. You have to understand that while you're a busy student with a hundred things on your plate, your significant other is no different. You each have your own schedules, classes, club meetings, and extracurricular activities to keep track of.

It's extremely easy to get caught up in your daily routine, and not have as much time to talk to your partner or keep them completely up to speed on what you are doing. Being patient can completely change your view on how you share your day with your significant other. In any relationship, there are going to be fights, misunderstandings, and even overreactions. When texting and face timing are the only things available to you, having patience and understanding to talk things out is the only way to make things right.

Independence

Since I started dating my boyfriend over three years ago, we've been a package deal. Everything that I did, he did with me and vice versa. We shared a group of friends, ran track together, and took the same classes. In college, all of that changed.

For the first time, I learned what it was like to be known as an individual person, and it made me realize how much of myself stems from him. It was exciting to share stories about my relationship with all of my new friends, but what was even more exciting was having new stories and people to tell my significant other about. I learned a lot about myself, and my relationship in the process, but I am now more independent than ever before.

Communication

Arguably the most important aspect of any relationship, distance only makes communication more and more important. Especially when adjusting to life at college, there will be days when you are so swamped for work that you can barely find time to sleep, let alone text your significant other a play by play of your day.

Communication does not mean talking all the time, constantly being on the phone, or sharing your location with your partner. Communication can be a most valuable tool when communication has to be limited.

It takes on a whole new meaning when you are communicating less frequently, but communicating better with your partner. A quick text every now and then is sometimes the only chance you have to talk to them, so make them count. Don't assume they know exactly what you mean, and don't forget that they are probably unfamiliar with your new surroundings, classes, and friends. It's important to put in extra effort when you're adjusting to a new place because it's not only stressful for you but your partner as well. Distance has taught me that communication is about quality, not frequency.

Creativity

When there are over two hundred miles between you and your significant other, traditional date nights are pretty much out of the question. I never thought I'd have to think of new ways to share important parts of my life with my boyfriend, but sometimes texting just isn't enough. Pinterest is full of gift ideas ranging from DIYs to care packages.

I learned very quickly that conventional gifts were not enough. Long Facetime calls, watching the same movies, and surprise visits had to be meticulously planned. Though all of these things are definitely not traditional, the memories made are something to cherish during time apart. I never thought getting creative would be something distance taught me, but I'm so glad it did.

Confidence

Just like independence, confidence was something I never thought much about before being in a long-distance relationship. I was comfortable with myself, my friends, and my relationship. I never understood how dependent my confidence was on my relationship. It's easy to be confident when you have your own personal cheerleader, a partner that is always there to support you. When you are separate, it is like you are losing that support.

With distance, I learned to find confidence in myself, and not rely so heavily on anyone else to give it to me. While confidence can be something hard to find, it makes a world of difference when you have it. Distance reminds me that I am the only person that I need to rely on to have confidence in myself.

Trust

Like communication, trust does not equate to tracking your partner, keeping tabs on their every move, or grilling them at the end of every day. Distance makes communication more difficult, but more important than ever, and trust is built on communication. Whether you like it or not, you are not going to be able to keep up with your partner every second of every day, so you have to be able to understand that they are their own person, making their own choices.

You have to trust that your partner is making the right choices for themselves and your relationship. Trust is very often referred to as a two-way street. You can not expect your partner to trust you if you do not trust them, or vice versa. Trust means working together to solve problems, and respecting boundaries. Trust is a keystone in any relationship, but distance can only make it stronger.

Commitment

Despite what some may believe, commitment is an active choice. You consciously choose to be committed to your partner, and that standard doesn't go away when you are hundreds of miles apart. Day after day, you choose to make things work, even when they are tough. You choose your partner because day after day they choose you too.

There are bound to be little fights and disagreements in any relationship, but commitment means choosing to solve them when it is easier to give up. Commitment is something you choose every single day, because of the love that keeps your relationship together. The distance may make it easy to justify excuses for commitment, but there is no justifying making a choice that will hurt your partner. Distance can be very trying on commitment, but commitment is what makes relationships last.

There will always be people doubting you in life, whether it be in regards to a job, school, or relationship. These opinions are not important. What's important is that you and your partner make time for one another, and prioritize each other. Distance makes you learn so much about yourself and your relationship, which is what makes it all worth it. I never thought I'd find myself in a long distance relationship, but I'm glad that distance taught me so much.