Listen, I love college and making new friends, but sometimes I miss always talking to my old friends. I came from a small town where everyone had their set group of friends. Like, everyone knew everyone, but stayed in their place. I miss having the familiarity of knowing someone for years upon years. It’s so hard to keep connected even though we have tons of social media now. There are so many ways to talk to people, but is it enough? Here’s a few ways to keep in contact!
Option 1: Make a group chat and always message each other. My old “squad” from high school made a group chat so we could make plans over the summer. We now use it to help each other out with homework, making new friends, and so much more. It’s an easy way to talk to everyone even though you’re miles apart.
Option 2: Try to make plans before you head home for the holidays. Every time I knew I was going home, I would message my friends to make plans and hang out. We always made sure to see each other. Also, don’t be like me and forget to take pictures. I always forget to get pictures of all of us together because we never think about it. But when you do hang out with them, make it fun. We always went bowling or played games at my house. Sometimes, we went to the movies too!
Option 3: Visit each other’s colleges. This may or may not work depending on how far you are from your friends. I know that my one friend, Bella, goes to Temple University in Philadelphia whereas I got to Clarion University near Pittsburgh. We can’t go see each other, but I can see my friends going to Robert Morris University and Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. We plan to meet up with some of those people in Kennywood Park soon for a Christmas light show.
Option 4: Video Chat or call someone for once! I know that most people only call their moms, but it’s important to hear your friends’ voices sometimes. When I miss them, I ask when they’re free to video chat. We catch up and it’s almost like they’re right in front of you.
Option 5: A simple text, Facebook message, or snapchat can make a huge difference. My friend, Shania, goes to Penn State Altoona and we’re both always busy. We often forget to message each other all the time. But when we need each other most, we’re there for each other. We’re even going to talk later! Laurel, who is still in high school, and I always forget to text because we were never the type to just text each other. We always had to see each other in person. We’re trying to change that and become better at communication.
I know personally how hard it is to keep in contact with old friends. Don’t let that take away from your current experiences either though. Just remember that no matter what option you choose, it is best to just have communication. Don’t forget about your friends and you won’t question why you don’t talk to anyone anymore. Keep in contact however you can!