You knew your parents were going to get divorced. Things hadn’t been feeling like usual and the inevitability of it all had been looming over you. You've convinced yourself it’s for the better and even though it took you some time to get there, you have finally come to terms with it all. Now that you have some years, experience, and distance from the whole situation, you have been able to trace some qualities that are a part of you back to that single schism and undoubtedly these top the list.

1. Independence

Naturally, you had to grow up quicker than someone with two parents. Worst case, you end up staying with only one parent for the majority of your life and out of necessity you pick up the slack to help out your mom or dad. Best case, your parents are amicable, or can at least pretend to be in public, but that comes with its own baggage—literally. What follows is years of week-on/week-off, calling and setting up your own lunch visits, or playing mediator when debates over how you should spend your school breaks get a little out of hand. All-in-all, you matured quicker than your friends.

2. A Go-Bag

I feel like this is true for all children of divorce at some level. Whatever your schedule, you got so used to either going between houses or just moving around a lot in general that you always had a bag ready to go with all of the things you would need for a few days—basic toiletries, phones charger, spare clothes—and you kept that bag pretty close. And if for some reason that bag wasn’t packed, you could get all of the things you need and be ready to leave your occupied space in five minutes flat.

3. Skepticism of love

Is it that surprising? The premier example of what a healthy relationship should look life in your life did not live up to the expectations. You have probably seen or heard fights, heard digs spewed from both sides, and seen what happens when two incompatible people decide to try and make it work anyway. Relationships are hard for you and believing in love sounds like a fairy tale.

4. Soft spot for kids

Maybe its because you want to make sure that they didn’t have to go through what you did, maybe you just want to be the person for them that you didn’t have. Either way, I’ve noticed that children of divorce tend to take a liking to kids and be able to work well with them.

5. Explaining your family tree

It has gotten more and more complex and complicated over the years, but your ability to explain it has improved with it. Starting from a young age, you innocently mention that your mommy and daddy don’t live in that same house anymore and suddenly you’re the social pariah of the 4^th grade. Since it happened, step-parents and siblings have been added, uncles and aunts have faded out of your life, all the while you get more and more comfortable explaining the slew of middle-aged adults in your life to your friends.

6. Sibling bonding

If you were lucky enough to have a partner or two through it all, then you created a bond that not all siblings can relate to. There’s something so unique about having the same feelings towards the same two people, who both happen to be your parents. It strengthens your relationship and years later gives a lot of material to laugh and even cry about.

7. Playing it up

Admit it. You have shamelessly used the divorce to your advantage, at least after the wounds healed. Somehow you found a way to get two family vacations and rack up double presents on birthdays and other holidays. Whenever you needed money you would ask for some from both parents and my personal favorite, telling dad you’re staying at mom's and telling mom you’re staying at dad's while you really are in a parking lot taking pulls of vodka from a water bottle.

Yes, it is getting more and more common every day, but people still look at me dumfounded when they find out my parents are divorced, and have been for years. They treat me like I have some weird condition or handy cap and I just wanted to confirm that for me, I gained so much more than I ever lost.