I’m so ashamed to admit this — I’ve been in a relationship for five years.

You gasp! You stare in shock! How dare he be in a relationship for that long, especially at his age!

All right, maybe I’m exaggerating the common reaction when I tell people I’ve had a girlfriend for this long. But the stigma on such relationships is there — people look at me dumbfounded and confused, exasperated at the thought I’ve been able to stay with one person for so long.

In fact, this relationship has been the best thing to ever happen to me — it’s created a constant level of intimacy and happiness that has been unreliable in nearly every other aspect of my life. She knows my feelings for her, and I know her feelings toward me.

Sure, we’ve had our problems, but we’ve always gotten through them. We’ve never been immature and just dropped the other person if things weren’t going right. And with each struggle, I think we’ve grown stronger.

So I’m going to just stand up and say this — long-term relationships are a good thing.

I know that goes against everything you’ve learned in college. People will tell you now is the time to keep those options open and meet as many people as you can. You can learn so much about yourself this way.

Nonsense, I say. I’m not advising you to just pick someone randomly for the next half of a decade, but if you find someone you can truly feel for and connect with, stick with them.

But don’t think the big “M” word ever has to come into the equation. My partner and I have been together long enough that people have begun to ask about our future, always forcing me to give them a shoulder shrug. Just because a couple has been together this long should not peg them down for the rest of their lives. It’s a serious decision that should be made by couples when they think they’re ready.

And what do single people have? They have a roller coaster of emotions — staggering highs of bliss, followed by constant drops and gut-bursting turns that leave a feeling of nausea.

Bad metaphors aside, single life can have moments of fun, but most of the time you’re worrying you’ll never find someone to satisfy your needs.

Maybe it’s old fashioned or conservative to say I enjoy the consistency in my relationship. But every day, I know I can come home and see her and feel better, no matter how bad my day was.

I know there will be a lot of single people who disagree with me. These people will probably be handsome or pretty, able to pick up people of the opposite sex with ease and generally enjoy one-night stands.

I say good for you — you’ve found a consistent level of enjoyment in relationships. But one day, you might find yourself craving something more than just sex and intimacy — you might actually want a conversation.

When that happens — tomorrow or 20 years from now — you’ll come to the same realization I have. There’s nothing greater in the world than knowing there’s someone who loves you.