They say ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’, but is this really true? Does time away from your significant other aid your relationship? People sit on both sides of the fence on this one. but in a recent poll, the majority felt that if the parties involved were truly committed, they could overcome any obstacle, even if an ocean separated them.

Since we believe in long and lasting love and are hopeless romantics at heart, let us celebrate the advantages of having a long-distance relationship. Whether it is Facetime moments, long chat messages, kissy faces and eggplant emojis, we support putting in the work to make it work because, at the end of the day, it should be worth it when you are reunited and it feels so good.

Let’s look at the benefits.

1. You miss them like crazy.

This is pretty obvious. If you lived together, some women even go as far as to

sleep in their man’s shirt just to remember their scent and to feel close to

them.

2. When they are around, you

appreciate them even more. The time is so precious and valuable that you do not

want to miss a second of it.

3.  You learn to communicate better. There is no time for silent treatment, long faces and malice. Instead, you learn to get your point across, and even in arguments, it is usually settled faster because you do not have the luxury of making things simmer or brew indefinitely.

4. You learn the importance of

trust. Let’s face it, if you do not trust your partner it will never work. You

have to take them at their word and be less suspicious and more supportive.

5. You begin to understand

that a relationship is not based on physical contact alone. You develop a bond

that transcends just sex as now you have to rely on your thoughts as well as

toys.

6. Though you are in a

relationship, you also learn a lot about yourself. You observe time

differences, learn to be independent, how to occupy all that extra free time

and learn how to navigate milestones like Valentine’s Day and your birthday by

yourself.

7. It makes you super ingenious. In a long-distance relationship, it is OK to be over the top at times. You have to be super creative to keep the fire going when the person is not there to physically stoke it all the time. You learn to salsa dance together on Skype, read poetry to each other, dedicate songs, get their input on assignments and just share your daily life with them but in a more concentrated manner.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of BUZZ or its employees.