1. Never having to pretend you like a gift or surprise.

It's always awkward at the beginning of a relationship when you have to eat that candy you really don't like or when you wear that godawful pendent around your neck because your new partner thought it was something you'd absolutely adore. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this, but a great thing about being in a long term relationship is that you've gone through it and gotten past it. A surprise bag of mini snickers when you're allergic to peanuts is a lot more enjoyable when it's a surprise gas station slushie in your favorite combination of flavors.

2. Knowing what gifts and surprises to buy or plan.

The same perk comes in reverse when you know just what your partner likes. You know their favorite colors, their order at every fast food restaurant, their favorite t-shirt fabric, their shoe size, and their taste in jewelry or lack thereof--some people just don't like to wear a lot of jewelry. There's a lot of pressure in new relationships in the beginning of that "serious" phase to perform grand gestures of adoration, and it is frustrating and disappointing to put forth a lot of work into something your partner doesn't necessarily like. Learning your significant other's preferences not only makes buying gifts for mandatory gift purchasing occasions a breeze, but it also makes it easy for small surprises just because that will surely brighten their day.

3. Always having a date.

When you're in a long term relationship, if you have a wedding to go to--well, so does your s/o (lucky them). You'll never have to put up with an awkward setup at an already awkward date function, and because your family already has asked all of the nosey questions there is to ask about your partner, you don't have to worry about it in public around 300 nosey strangers somehow related to you by your second cousin's wife's sister once removed.

4. Always having a ride.

Calling your partner when you just cannot walk home from class because you're exhausted and it is simply too hot, or making them drive home from the grocery store is such a luxury. Even an independent woman that don't need no man loves being able to relax in the passenger seat simply for the sake of being lazy--and your footprints all over the windshield are totally a work of art.

5. Great conversation.

After being in a relationship for years, you and your partner have learned so much of each other's pasts that you can just exist together and speak about other things besides twenty questions. Instead, you have the opportunity to create new experiences and get to grow from them and wrap your mind around them together. You can spend hours talking about anything, and there are no boundaries or worries of offending the other person when discussing controversial or sensitive topics. You know their favorite books, their dreams, their favorite things to debate, and their world views. A lot of people often assume that conversation gets boring or you don't have anything to talk about after being together for so long, but that is such a myth. The more comfortable and safe you feel with a person, the more freely conversation flows.

6. A personal photographer.

This one is such a perk for Instagram addicts. Your partner knows your best angles, how you like your hair in photos, and just how far away they need to stand in order to get your whole body in the photo but still show everyone how fleek your contour is. While they will still always tell you that every photo of you is beautiful and perfect, nobody can take a picture of you as flattering as your long-term partner. Additionally, they have endless patience when you're traveling and need to document every. single. moment.

7. A mind reader.

Once you've spent a significant amount of time with a person, they know how you work.They know how you think and how you react to certain situations, people, and even tones of voice. While this can definitely be used in a negative way when you're bickering and they know just how to get under your skin, it can be great when you're in an uncomfortable social situation and they can see your face and know it's time to leave. You don't have to say a word and they'll still know to fake some kind of emergency to leave early. They know what to take note of when you're in the store browsing, and they follow you taking photos of the things you paused at for just a few seconds more than the others. They know when you don't want to eat what they suggested for dinner but are too nice to nix the option because you know they really want it. They know by the diction of your text messages that you're feeling meh and having a tough day, and you'll come home from work or school to your favorite home-cooked spaghetti with fresh garlic bread. They know when you need a moment alone and they know when you need to be cuddled and held.

8. A best friend and partner in growth.

A long term relationship is far from boring. So many people think that by committing to yourself to one person for so long at such a young age limits your experiences, but really it gives you a best friend to experience them with. "I already have a best friend," you say? Well, having a best friend in your significant other does not in any way dilute the significance of your childhood best friend or your experiences with them. It's a completely different ballgame in the very best way. Your partner is there for the ups and the downs in your life, and experiences them with you and grows with you through these times. They know how to keep things interesting and they know what you need when you need it, and what you want even when maybe you don't deserve it. They're always on your side, even when you're wrong--but they aren't afraid to tell you that you're wrong once they've taken up for you. They love you unconditionally and know just how to make your heart feel full, but they also know how to send you into a belly-rolling fit of laughter.

Co-habitating with this person is a breeze, because you aren't afraid to tell them that the way they hang the toilet paper is just not going to happen and they'll make sure you clean up your makeup mess so that your "face goop" doesn't get all over their razor. Coming home to them at the end of the night is the best because they know what you need before you do, whether it's a hot bath and a new bath bomb ready when you walk in the door or a handle of tequila and your favorite going-out attire laid out at the end of the bed. Ultimately, this person is your person and that's the end of the story. You are a unit and a team at times, but flourish and shine as individuals as well.

Your partner is your cheerleader, your proof-reader, card game adversary, and the one that isn't afraid to push you out of your comfort zone because they know the great things you are capable of--and that's far from boring. They were there when you didn't know how to fill in your eyebrows, and when your social media presence was really quite embarrassing. They watched you stress over your SATs and your college applications, and they stood by you when you questioned your membership in your favorite organizations. They clapped the loudest for you at your high school graduation, and they held you when you cried dropping your childhood best friend off at a college 8 hours away from yours. They were there when you had nothing and they remain a part of your journey to success, regardless of the magnitude of ups and downs that may come your way. At times it will seem like it's the two of you vs. literally everyone and the whole world is against you, but you'll always know that you will never be alone in this life.