This past summer, except for the week I was on vacation, my boyfriend and I spent every free second together. I slept at his house every single night and before that, for the majority of the nights over the past year or so. We were inseparable. When it came time for me to leave for school, it was something, unlike anything we had experienced before. We became a long distance couple.

I know what you're thinking: How far does he live from your school? Because long distance relationships are all about the physical distance, right? Wrong.

Although we only live an hour and a half apart, we have come to realize that it is not merely about the physical distance, but also about emotional and intimate distance. We went from seeing each other every single day to seeing each other around twice a month. THAT is long distance.

I understand that some long distance relationships are physically further apart and that there is a difference between being an hour and a half apart and being sixteen hours apart. I know that's hard. I know that you don't get to see your significant other very often. But the mental and emotional toll does not become more, simply because your physical distance is greater.

Just because you think you have it worse, does not mean that my own problems are invalid.

Distance is distance. It's one thing to recognize when greater distance provides a greater challenge, but to talk down to the people with less distance between them is rude and inconsiderate. You wouldn't tell someone with Stage I cancer to stop complaining because you have Stage IV, would you? That seems extreme, but it gives the same idea.

Instead of demeaning each other's feelings, why can't we just be there for one another? Being in a strong and committed relationship is already hard enough these days because of judgment from cynical single people. Instead, those of us that are in committed relationships with our significant others are now going to start judging other relationships, too? That's wrong on so many levels. If you find people with any type of distance between them, chances are they have some of the same feelings and emotions that you do. But you would never know this because the first thing that you did was criticize the extent of those feelings.

By telling me that my long distance relationship isn't long enough, you're basically telling me that my problems aren't nearly as important as your problems.

By telling me that my long distance relationship isn't long enough, you are invalidating the pain I feel every day.

By telling me that my long distance relationship isn't long enough, you are attacking someone for feeling the same way that you feel.

If you love someone, if you really really love someone, every minute that they are not with you is painful to some degree.

If you both have hectic work or school schedules, a room can feel like it's long distance. How about we stop diminishing the happiness of others just because love is a little harder or a little farther away for some?

If you're really committed to the relationship, the distance doesn't matter. Whether you're two hours away or sixteen hours away, long distance can be hard. Does it suck? Sure. It sucks a whole lot, but you have to be willing to make it work.

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, they didn't specify how much.