High School Musical star Zac Efron feels that his relationship with Vanessa Hudgens has stood the test of time because the couple avoid public spotlight. The 22-year-old actor, who began dating Hudgens after they met on the set of High School Musical in 2005, admits the couple ‘take pride’ in keeping their five-year relationship private and try not to let attention bother them too much, Contactmusic reported.

“Not much of it is public, to be honest. We don’t talk about it other than the fact that it exists. We just try to keep it to ourselves, which is what we take a sense of pride in because we don’t need to share that,” Efron said. “During High School Musical, I didn’t know how to handle it, but if you just live your life and keep doing what you do and don’t care if they take pictures — they can’t slow you down,” he added.

Efron insists it’s better to keep it low at times. “I sensed a pattern — if you do keep your head down and sneak in the back entrances or whatever, then they inevitably stop coming because they’re not getting what they want,” he said.