One of the hardest things about college is leaving your friends. Whether it's leaving your high school friends to go to school, coming home from breaks, or studying abroad, you are bound to deal with long-distance friendships at some point in your college career. Now that I am graduating, this has become a reality since my friends and I will all return to our hometowns. Here are some ways I have learned to stay in touch with friends over the years.
Plan time to see each other.
One of the best ways to stay in touch is to plan trips to visit each other or take a trip home. Freshman year all my high school friends decided to go home for Columbus Day weekend and have a party where we could all be together again. I also visited my best friend at her school several times and she came to mine. It is important to have something to look forward to and it also allows y'all to chat about your plans.
Create group chats.
Group chats are a great way to stay in touch. Simply updating a group text about your day can spark conversation and make you feel connected to all your friends simultaneously. My friends from school and home each have several group chats we use. This is the number one way I stay in touch with my friends from home while away at school. We text pretty much every day about anything and everything. You can also ask important questions like "Is anyone going home this weekend?" or "When is your spring break?" to see who will be home and when.
Have a weekly video chat.
When we got sent home for COVID-19 my friends from school were all so sad. In order to feel connected we scheduled weekly Zoom calls where we could all catch up. I still group FaceTime some of my friends when I'm away. I also recommend calling your family members often. I love FaceTiming my nephews while I'm away at school. Sometimes when you get caught up in the swing of things you forget about the people who are not directly around you. It is really nice for both you and them to give them a call every now and then to see how they are doing.
Create remote clubs.
This is something I did during COVID-19 that I plan to do after graduation as well. Creating a book club, bible study, watch party, etc. can allow you and your friends to stay connected remotely. My friends and I did a Bible study remotely during COVID-19 and we really enjoyed it. I also participated in remote book clubs and pen pals to stay connected during that time. Pen pals are a great way to keep in touch. It allows you to get creative by sending mail back and forth rather than simply texting. Scheduling a club meeting once a month or every other week can allow friends to stay connected with low commitment.
Those are just a few ways to keep in touch over long breaks from seeing friends. It is normal to feel disconnected at times, but it is important to try and rebuild that connection and stay in touch. If you are feeling lonely don't be afraid to be the first to reach out. Your friend may be feeling the exact same way but just doesn't know how to connect. Friends may drift over the years however, the friendships I still have after years of being apart are the ones I stayed in touch with the most. Keep in touch with all things Irrellavent by subscribing to the blog or following us on Instagram @itsirrellavent.
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