There is something to be said for unconditional love for your friends. After all, friends often know us better than we know ourselves. They are the support system we didn't know we needed, until that terrible thing was going on and you really didn't want to talk to family about it. Friends in different places means different perspectives, different time zones (so they can essentially be there for you any time of the day), unbiased opinions, new ideas, and a whole world of knowledge.

Thanks to our overly-connected world, making friends in new places is easier and less anxiety inducing than ever (bye-bye awkward dead air when no one knows what to say). Or, if you have an old childhood friend that moved away many years ago, chances are they can be found by the click of a button. The internet is an amazing tool for fostering friends miles apart, which keeps social and communication skills ever-evolving.

Just like any long distance relationship, long distance friendships need to be nurtured; there has to be equal effort from both people involved for things to work out. But trust me, all of the hard work pays off. There are so many benefits to having a friend afar, such as an excuse to take an impromptu vaca, not having to feel obligated to hang out, someone to send your selfies to that are too embarrassing to post, and always looking forward to sharing exciting stuff with them that they weren't there to be a part of.

Then there is having the friend that you actually never met in person. Instead of dreading keeping those plans to hang out, you are wishing for nothing more than to slumber with them, with pints of ice cream, bottles of wine, endless laughs, and snaps to capture it all. There is the constant day dreaming up plans to get together in the future, when stars align and life doesn't get in the way. This planning is the best part, as it pushes us to set goals and work towards something. Maybe there is something that needs to get done in order for this fantastical vacation with your long lost BFF to happen - what more motivation do you need to complete such a task?

I have friends all over the country, many of whom I met though online schooling and connecting through writing. These friends have become an extension of my family and have taught me so much about myself, as well as the world. I have learned to see things through different perspectives, have become aware of things I had no idea existed, and I have grown as a person because of these connections I have built. I look forward to the daily texts and occasional video chats, or creating projects to work on together to build an even stronger bond to make up for the many miles.

Never pass up the opportunity to connect with someone, for they could be a true blessing in disguise. Having friends from different communities, different social spectrums, other cultures, is truly an enlightening and emotionally satisfying thing. The meaning they will bring to your life, and the time you spend with them virtually, is just as important as going out to dinner and drinks with your friend only a couple of blocks away. Value your friendships near and far just the same, because they are both equally important. Any person willing to take their own time to get to know you, put in effort to be there for you and just be a friend is a worthwhile friendship.