Yes, I am the person who brought my high school boyfriend with me to college. No, it wasn’t easy. Yes, it was totally worth it.

I know everyone imagines their first year of college as constant partying and hookups. People seem to play the “freshman” card as an excuse to go out of control. I never had any desire to do so. I am not saying that this is the case for everyone, or that it’s wrong.

Personally, I just could never see myself in that position. I stayed with my high school boyfriend during freshman year, and the long-distance taught me more than I could have imagined. Most people have misperceptions about what it means to do long distance in college. Usually, people are concerned with cheating and lying, but I never was. There is a common stereotype that doing long distance limits you from actually doing what you want to do. I never felt restricted from anything, and I was able to independently make friends and be myself.

I always knew that communication is important in a relationship, but long distance taught me that there is no replacement for talking things through. I was able to focus on my friends and my academics this year, knowing that I always had something to look forward to. Being apart made seeing each other that much more exciting.

Everyone constantly asked me if I felt like I was missing out and my answer was always no. I felt like I had the best of both worlds this year, and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. I feel like this relationship matured me by giving me the experience of actually missing someone and learning how to be myself, then be ourselves when we’re together.

If you have someone that is so important to you, don’t let distance play such a negative role. Use the strain of distance build on what you have, and continue to grow together. If you are with the right person, jealously and spite will not rule your long distance relationship. I always felt secure with myself, and my place at school, so security within my relationship came naturally. I am leaving my freshman year with no regrets, and as a stronger, more independent person, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Even if long distance isn’t for you, or you would rather not be in a relationship, follow whatever makes you happy. Even though I knew I was sometimes "judged" for the decision to work through long distance, it did not bother me. All that mattered was that it made me happy. Make your college experience your own, and don’t let anyone try to discourage what YOU want to do.