My boyfriend and I began dating halfway through winter break during my freshman year, making my high school dream of dating the cute redhead on the soccer team come true. While we had gone to high school together, we hadn't gotten close until college.

When I arrived back on campus for the second semester, I was obviously excited to share this new development in my love life with my college friends. While I was happy and excited, they were not.

"Now you can't go to parties."

"How can your relationship work when you barely talk?"

"Do you trust him being away from you?"

"There goes your social life."

"You know that long distance never works out, right?"

Obviously, I was upset. I was happy and I didn't understand their negative reactions. However, they weren't the only negative reactions I've gotten. Despite the fact that my boyfriend and I have been together for a little over two years now, I still get people reacting the same way my friends did back in freshman year. Over the past two years, I've developed a collection of answers and responses.

1. My ability to go out has nothing to do with my relationship status.

In a healthy long distance relationship, you need to trust each other, and part of that trust is understanding that your significant other goes out to have fun with their friends, not hook up.

2. We actually talk all the time.

In a long distance relationship, there are so many ways to talk when face to face conversations aren't possible. From FaceTime, to texting, to good old fashioned letters, it's honestly so easy to communicate even when you're not in the same location.

3. I have no reason not to trust my boyfriend.

When we started dating, we knew that we would be spending a lot of time away from each other, but let's be real, we're both adults, and I trust him to be around other girls without me being there.

4. Being in a relationship has actually bettered my social life.

My boyfriend encourages me to go out with friends and do things that make me happy. Being in a long distance relationship hasn't turned me into a shut-in, it's actually made me more outgoing.

5. Long distance can 100% work out.

As cheesy as it sounds, love really does find a way. While it isn't the same as dating someone you can see every day, long distance relationships can be just as loving, supportive, and rewarding.

Yes, its hard, and yes, there are going to be days when you miss your significant other more than you knew to be possible, but in the end, long distance is completely worth it.