Seven things that happen when you’re in a long-distance relationship:

1. You choose your battles wisely.

Being hours away from each other means you can’t fight and then kiss and make up all within a few hours. Since you are apart, you learn to pick your battles. You learn that some things just are not worth arguing over. When you do fight, you choose your words wisely, not just because they can’t be taken back, but also because they can’t be covered with a hug as soon as they come out.

2. You have doubts

Distance is hard, and sometimes you listen to the lies, “It won’t work. It’s too hard. Why even put in the effort?” But the beautiful thing is that you learn to say, “Because I love them, I choose them, and this season is only for a little while.”

3. You learn that time is so precious

During the long weeks when your schedules don’t match up and you don’t get a lot of communication in, that’s where the weekends come into play. Weekends are a gift from God. When you get to see each other, you spend that time reconnecting and just enjoying each other’s presence. You have a schedule planned out and you use up every second of time you get (even if it means you don’t sleep for three days). You also learn the importance of being present and paying attention to your person when you’re around (and throwing your phone to the side).

4. You take advantage of every moment you have to talk

Whether it’s sneaking a phone call at work behind a bush (yes, I’ve done this) or leaving class a few minutes early just to hear their voice (guilty again), you learn to take advantage of every text message sent and every phone call opportunity.

5. Countdowns are life

Since you’ve started this long distance relationship, you have every possible countdown app on your phone. You have started counting months, weeks, days, hours, and even seconds.

6. It forces you into communication

You can be together and be silent, just enjoying each other’s presence, but when you’re on the phone and it’s silent, it’s not the same. So long distance requires you to talk – ABOUT EVERYTHING. Who you ran into at the grocery store, what you bought there, and what you saw on the way home. You learn to tell them everything as if they were there beside you the whole time.

7. It prepares you for hard times

Being away from each other is hard. But the advantage is that it can help prepare you two for adversity. Going through this together is a growing opportunity, and will teach you how your partner handles those hard times.