I met Marissa in the seventh grade, and we've been the best of friends ever since. We were inseparable in middle and high school, so much so that you rarely saw one of us without the other. These types of friendships are special, and a blessing to those who experience it. Unfortunately for me, Marissa moved from our hometown in Connecticut to South Carolina soon after our high school graduation. It's been over a year since the big move and here are 13 things that have happened since, because of it.

1. Everyone asks you how your BFF is doing.

"How's Marissa doing?"

I am asked this question every time I run into someone from high school, whether it be a former teacher or peer. It used to make me sad at first because I missed my partner in crime so much, but after a while the constant questioning just got annoying. I wanted to say: If you want to know how she's doing so badly, ask her yourself, but I didn't. I always smiled and said how well she was doing.

2. You have an extremely high Snap streak.

Not like you didn't have a Snap streak before your BFF moved away, but since you aren't physically together, you Snapchat each other a lot more. The streak is most likely over 100 days and is taken very seriously by both parties. It is a great way to keep in touch in real time, and the Snap streak is a commitment that keeps communication going on a daily basis, despite how busy both of your lives are.

3. You send each other mail.

Like a long-distance romantic relationship, there's nothing like sending and receiving handwritten letters, cards, or notes. You two never felt the need to send each other mail before, because you saw each other every single day and lived five minutes down the road from each other. But now that you're hundreds of miles away, it is suddenly appropriate to write each other cute little notes and pop them in the mail. It feels bittersweet writing her new address on the envelope, because it is so unfamiliar to you and so far away, but you are happy knowing that the very paper you are touching will be touched by her very soon.

4. You talk on the phone/FaceTime for hours on end.

Since you are so used to hearing each other's voices and keeping up with each other's daily lives, Snapchat simply cannot replace the face-to-face conversations you used to have. You two are so accustomed to having daily conversations that you make an effort to pick up the phone and make a call just to hear her voice and see how her day went. And, like it was when you two were physically together, you talk nonstop for hours without missing a beat. Still, a little piece of you dies every time you hang up.

5. You both find comfort in new friends.

Although no one can replace your lifetime best friend, now that you two are so far apart, you are forced to make new friends. You may even find someone you consider your new best friend, but you know that your long distance BFF is in a class of her own and that she will always be your #1.

6. But that doesn't stop you from getting jealous of each other's new friends.

Like a jealous girlfriend, when we see our BFF becoming very close with someone else, we feel a pang of envy. Although we are confident that we will always be #1 best friends, it hurts a bit to see your best friend spending the time she used to spend with you with someone else. But, you are happy for her, because you don't want her to be alone, and you want her to have friends. But it doesn't stop you from hurting just a little bit (and stalking said new friends on every form of social media).

7. You frequently plan when you are going to see each other.

You and your best friend constantly nag each other, "when are you going to come see me?" You both are always on the hunt for the cheapest plane tickets and spend hours trying to coordinate your very different, and very busy, schedules. You plan trips to see each other months in advance, and you are both happy to plan every little detail of the trip, and what you're going to do once you're reunited. The idea of seeing each other, even if it is months away, excites you both.

8. You whine about how much you miss each other.

Whether it's constantly Snapchatting a sad face with an "I miss you" caption, or posting old photos of you two for every #WCW and #TBT, you guys never stop whining about how much you miss each other. Sometimes it even becomes a gross competition similar to the "no, you hang up first" debate between couples of "I miss you more," "no, I miss you more!" It's actually disgusting.

9. You try your best to understand her new life.

Whether she is telling you about her new house, her new job, or the new town she is living in, you try very hard to understand and remember everything about her new life. You are supposed to be the expert on her life, remember!?

You study the photos she sends you of her new home and make a mental list of her new friends and co-workers who she tells you about. When she mentions someone's name, you make a genuine effort to remember who they are and what they are like. You also remember when she has plans, so you can ask, "How was the bonfire at Alex's last night?" even though you don't know Alex personally, and she is secretly thrilled that you remembered this aspect of her new life that sadly, doesn't involve you.

10. You tell all your new friends about her.

Since almost every story you have begins with, "This one time, Marissa and I..." your new friends quickly learn the importance that your #1 BFF holds in your heart and in your life. Although they may not know her personally, they know how much she means to you and that you guys had some great times together. Your friends understand how much you miss her, and how much her friendship means to you.

11. You both complain about your problems just like you did before.

Just because you aren't in person doesn't mean you stop complaining about whatever is bothering you that day. You send her Snapchats about how much you hate the class you're sitting in, and she sends you Snapchats about the problem customer she had to deal with at work that day. You also talk all about your boy problems and analyze the crap out of screenshots of conversations with boys that you send each other frequently, especially arguments with your boyfriend. That part is almost like nothing has changed.

12. You take trips down memory lane together.

Maybe you come across an old picture of you two, or something reminds you of an old inside joke, and you will immediately text your BFF with a "Remember when..." and you will both laugh and cry over all the good memories you guys had together. She fills in the parts of the story you can't remember, and she never lets you forget the embarrassing things you did in middle school, which you have effectively blocked out of your memory.

13. You constantly send each other memes, Vines, and other posts.

While you used to watch hilarious videos together, and anything you found online that you wanted to show her you just showed her in person (because you were always together anyways), now you send her the link and wait for her response. Whether it's something that reminds you of her or something you know for a fact she will find funny, you are always thinking of her when it comes to Tumblr posts and funny Vines. This makes you realize that maybe you guys aren't as far away from one another as it may seem.

Long distance friendships are hard; there's no doubt about that. But when your best friend of all time is the one to move hundreds of miles away, it's so much harder. Now you have to live without your partner-in-crime by your side, but I promise it does get easier. There are days where you keep up your Snapchat streak but don't really talk, and then there are days where you have a real conversation and catch up with what's going on in each other's lives. You're still there for her emotional breakdowns, and she's still there for your rants about whoever made you angry that day. She still takes your side no matter what, and despite the distance, you two will always be the best of friends.