Trust me, you aren’t the only one out there. I am a sophomore at the University of Alabama and I date a soon-to-be United States Marine.

He attends a military school called Virginia Military Institute; which is about a nine to 10 hour drive from the University of Alabama. Going into school as a freshman last year, I thought I had it all figured out and I assumed that this ‘long distance’ thing would be a piece of cake. Little did I know I was in for a huge surprise. The first week was hard going from talking to him and seeing him every day to absolutely no contact whatsoever.

There were so many nights I would stay in and watch military movies and think about how much my life sucks. When in reality, it really didn’t suck at all. I finally took a step back and thought, "Why was I doing this to myself? Why was I sitting around making myself miserable?"

I realized that I needed to put it in God’s hands and go on and do what I have always wanted to do and not let a long distance relationship hold me back. But hey, that did not mean I went out every night and went wild. I went out and joined different groups around campus and kept myself occupied. That was one of the best choices I had ever made because it allowed me to keep busy and not have time to sulk but have time to be thankful for all the things God had put in my life.

However, even coming to that realization did not mean that sometimes I did want to stay in and not go out and just have a night to myself. I just want to tell all of you girls out there that having a few nights for yourself and not going out all the time is definitely okay. By putting all your effort into making things work with hundreds and thousands of miles in between the two of you makes you mature much faster than the average college girl.

The whole experience puts a toll on your relationship and it’s going to be one of the hardest things you will ever go through, but it is all worth it. The long days apart, the months apart and all of the hardest “see ya later’s” are worth every "hello" and every short time period you have together. It is going to be one of the most trying times and it is definitely going to test your relationship but DO NOT GIVE UP. This time apart will only make your relationship stronger’ like it did mine and Peyton’s. Maybe pick out a Bible verse that day for you both to read and then when you get your chance to talk you can have a discussion about what that verse meant to each of you. By bringing God into our relationship it made things much more loving and comforting.

Now to the stuff that really matters (sorta lol) that girls who are experiencing the same thing will understand:

1. You only have a few minutes to talk to them before “taps” sounds and you can not talk anymore.

2. A hat is not a hat.. It is a cover and nothing else.

3. Every time your phone lights up someone asks why it is “13:00”

4. When people ask you what time something is happening and you blurt out military time.

5. Staying on the phone while you sleep cause you would rather hear them breathe than not hear them at all.

6. Driving 23 hours to see them for a weekend.

7. You see military people EVERYWHERE.

8. All you do is Skype and FaceTime

9. When a girl says she won’t get to see her boyfriend for two days…. She doesn’t even know.

10. He is more than just a guy in uniform and Americas hero; he is your HERO.