After four years of pushing and pulling each other through high school, I no longer live in the same state as one of my best friends. She moved away after graduation, and I'm lucky if I get to see her once a year. But somehow, we never miss a beat of each other's lives. Thanks to technology we talk just as we did then, even though we're exactly 2,000 miles apart year round.

While I would give anything to see her every day, here's why I am grateful for my long distance friend and why should get yourself one, too.

1. It's like having a conscience you can text

If I need to make a decision, odds are I texted her about it first. What am I getting for dinner? Do I take an 8 am or a class on Friday? Should I text him, or nah? It's nice to have someone you can rely on, even if they aren't with you. We've helped each other through a lot, and we (usually) keep each other out of trouble, too.

2. You always have an outside opinion

Sometimes you need a fresh set of ears to listen to all of your problems. If we're ever too close to a problem, it's helpful to talk it out to someone unrelated to the situation. Also, it's a lot easier for them to tell you if you're being dumb or not.

3. It's nice to have someone who is curious about what you're up to

The people at school in Alabama generally do not care to hear about what it's like to go to school in Alabama. But she does. Even if I'm feeling bored with my life, she always has questions about fried food and whether or not I've given in and started saying "y'all" yet.

4. You get to hear their stories too

Southern California and the South are two very different places, which is obvious. But it's awesome to be able to compare our two polar opposite college experiences with each other. If I'm ever bored of my life, I can always check in with her.

5. You get to plan elaborate, future trips together

You may not be together now, but that doesn't mean you can't plan awesome reunion trips. Some are quick visits, but my personal favorite is our European retreats for when we both have time and money (it will happen, don't @ me).

6. They keep you accountable because they know the crap you've done

My friends at school know what I've gotten myself into for the last three years, but she's been around way longer. We know what we've done in the past, what we're capable of, and how to keep each other from repeating mistakes.

7. You can text them complete jibberish and they already knew what you were going to say

We can essentially predict each other's responses by now. If I completely mess up the spelling of several words, she still knows what I mean. And if she doesn't, she calls me out for being so lazy that even she can't understand me.

8. You can have multiple conversations at once

There are days when we have one conversation over text messages, one over Snapchat, and one over Instagram. It's a lot, but it's also like having three friends in one.

9. No matter what you do, they'll still be around

We've stuck together this long, we mean for life. I never doubt that I have someone in my corner at all times. I also know I always have a couch to crash on wherever she is. Yes, I wish I saw her every day, but we've made it this long and we've turned long-distance friendship into something that really matters.