Whenever I ask an experienced married couple their secret to a long, happy relationship most of them say the same thing: "Marry your best friend". I didn't fully understand what they meant at first. Why would you want to date a friend? That would ruin the friendship, right? Not if you talk about it extensively and agree to be friends even if the relationship ends. As in all relationships, communication is key.

Recently, I started dating my best friend. Now, I completely understand what everyone's been saying. There are many surprising benefits to taking a close compadre out of the so-called "friend zone". However, I'd like to lay out in this article the most important benefits of turning your "bestie" into "bae".

1) You already have similar friend groups.

When it comes to dating, meeting each other's friends is definitely one of the more important trials at the beginning of the relationship. What if their friends don't get along with you? What if your friends can't stand your new S.O.? None of these is an issue if you all were already friends, to begin with. This eliminates the whole awkward meeting process and figuring out if your partner can vibe with your friends. Odds are, they're already friends with the same people! Bonus: you all probably share similar interests so the conversation will never lag!

2) They can basically read your mind because you were already joined at the hip.

They're one of your closest, best friends. They can read you like a book and know you like the back of their hand. They'll almost always know exactly what you're thinking, even if you are having trouble forming a cohesive statement conveying it. One of the most common reasons relationships end is because of not only a lack of communication, but a lack of understanding and perspective. Your best friend will already understand your perspective on most things. They will know how to properly communicate with you and vice versa. You got all of that out of the way when you were friends!

3) You get to skip the cliche awkward first date.

The first date with anyone can get very weird. This is a completely new person in your life that you need to get to know. And to add on to that, you both are attracted to each other. A whole other layer of awkward. However, you can skip that step if the person across the table from you or next to you in the movie theater already knows who you are as a person. You don't have to ask them the basic first date questions like "What's your major?" or "What do you like to do in your spare time?" You already know the answer to every question you could've asked. Ice breakers can be fun and all, but what if your date is a dud? This won't be the case with your best friend because you already know how fun they are.

4) You're already used to having your space from them.

Unless they're your roommates, you don't spend every single moment of your time with your best friend. You may go a couple of days without seeing them. Contrary to popular belief, that's very healthy for a relationship. The early stages of a relationship are extremely fragile. Spending too much time with your partner can be detrimental this early on in the relationship. A healthy relationship consists of both valuable shared time and your own personal time. You both are independent people with their own lives and responsibilities.

You've all heard the saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder". When it comes to relationships, this couldn't be more true. You will get tired of the person you're dating if you spend every waking hour with them. Since your best friend is already someone you (probably) don't see every day, this won't take much adjusting.

5) It's basically like dating yourself.

You're best friends for a reason. You share a lot of things in common. Some could say you're the same person on the inside. This will make choosing a restaurant on date night extremely easy.

Getting to know your partner won't be that difficult because you're so similar. You may start to say or ask something and your significant other could finish your sentence for you. A couple doesn't have to share every single hobby or interest, but having a few shared ones makes you more compatible. This, in return, gives you more things to talk about. It can also open each of your minds to new activities and you may find something new that you are interested in, making you and your partner more well-rounded individuals