You meet a ton of people at college. You meet the people in your major, random people at the bar, and people who you work with. These people tend to be from all around the globe. If you go to a great university, then it will honestly embrace the word diversity and you will have had the chance to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures. Some of these people will turn into some of your closes friends. You will share some of your best, and most amazing moments with these people. You will dance your hearts out together, pull all nighters as a group, and laugh till you cry. These people will become your best friends.
After four or so years in school, each of you will have to separate and either go back to your hometowns or start a new life in a new city. You will cry like a baby before graduation, during graduation, and a couple of weeks after graduation because you know that nothing will ever be the same. I still tear up, to this very day, because I desperately miss my best friends from college and all the things we used to do.
You want to keep these people in your life for as long as you can. They may not be right down the street anymore, but you plan on keeping them one phone call away. Here are ways to keep your long distance friendships.
1. Buckle Up and Go for a Ride
Make plans to meet up. Go to your friends’ hometown or make plans to visit your alma mater. Visiting their hometowns would give you a chance to learn more about them, outside of your college activities. It would also give your friends the opportunity to introduce them to their family. And who wouldn’t love the chance to visit their alma mater? I know I can’t wait to go back and visit my school soon. Having one weekend to just let go and forget about all of your responsibilities is something everyone wants.
You can also make plans to vacation to an exotic place. You can explore the world together and make new memories. One of my friends is moving to Sweden this year and I plan on visiting her as soon as possible.
2. Tweet, Post, and Text
You should take advantage of technology and utilize social media. Social media and smartphones help us connect with your friends faster than ever. It can be as if you are right there with them at every part of their life. You can use technology to contact your friends daily and catch up. I don’t know about you but I feel incredibly lucky to live in a time period where technological advancements are taking place. You can share experiences in real time. You may not be there with them while they skydive, but you will feel as if you are there, with the use of your smartphone.
3. Involve Your Friends in Big Decisions
Let your college friends know that you still value their opinions and want to include them in all of your big decisions. By including them in all of your major decisions, you keep them connected to you no matter where you are. When you have to make a decision on whether to dump your boyfriend or give him a second chance, ask your friends. Or if you should quit your job for a complete different career choice, ask your friends. They know you probably better than you know yourself and will give you valuable advice. It will be as if the “heart to hearts” you used to have at college are still a part of your life.
4. Invite Them to the Big Events
Are you getting married, having a baby shower, or celebrating a birthday? Don’t forget to call up your college friends and invite them to the party. They may not be there for the small stuff, but they will definitely make an appearance for the big events. As life goes on, you will have photos of them at every important occasion. They will be there when it matters most.
5. Reminisce Together
There is nothing like catching up on the “good ole times” with your friends. You and your friends will laugh about the time you accidently got lost at three in the morning, after a night of dancing. You will all smile, cheek to cheek, thinking about the cute guys you each had a crush on. And you have a dance party to your favorite songs from the college years. There is nothing more fun, yet slightly sad, about reliving the past with your best friends from college. You can reminisce on the phone, in person, through webcam. Being able to do it any time is the best part about it.
6. Start a Book Club
One of the things you miss about being so close to your college friends is sharing ideas. To help satisfy that desire, you can start a long distance book club. Pick a book and have all of your friends read it, within a time frame. Then, you can either meet up and discuss it, or you can utilize Skype and video chat about it. You can share your opinions, reactions, and thoughts on a particular book. You don’t have to be in college to exchange intellectual ideas with your peers.
7. Watch Television Together
I don’t literally mean watch television together, but share a common interest in a television show. Once a new episode airs, call or text them and asked them what they thought about it. What was there favorite part? What do they look forward to next week? What do they want to happen? Television is a great way to stay connected to your long distance friends and pop culture. In college, you were around young people that knew everything about what was trending. In the real world, the adult world, you are less aware of what is going on with your favorite celebrities. Watching television with your college friends is a way to stay on top of new things, people, and events.
8. Set Up a Schedule
This is probably the simplest way to stay connect to your long distance friends. Set up a strict schedule for you all to call each other and catch up. This may be difficult, seeing as how you each may live in a different time zone or have different work schedules. But you should try to stick to it. If you are really committed to keeping you long distance friendships intact, you will be able to do it. That will be motivation enough.
Long Distance Friendships are difficult to keep but very doable. With dedication and creativity, you will be able to stay connected to your friends. You will be just as close as you were in college. You can watch television together, read books together, visit the past together, and connect on social media together.You will grow together, change with each other, and encourage one another. When you all decide to meet back up, it will be as if nothing has changed. It will be as if time had stood still and you are picking up where you left off.
