Dedicated to my best friend Adriana, miss you todaytocaya.
All my life I’ve had trouble dealing with friendships. I don’t even necessarily think I’m a very good friend, and throughout the years’ distance has been a constant companion.
From changing schools to having friends move, distance is a wall that I’ll always end up facing. I won’t deny that it’s taken me time to work it out and I still have more to fix. However, right now my best friend Adriana (yes we have the same name, refer to us as Adriana^2 please), moved to Hawaii for a student exchange program. Once again distance has reared its head, but surprisingly, we’re making it work!
A Memorable Memory
Before she left, we made sure to meet up one last time. We watched movies, went shopping and made sure to have one last memory full of fun. So if you know that your friend is leaving or you’ll rarely see them, make sure to give them one fond last memory they can remember. Be it by throwing a party, giving them a gift, or just hanging out. Whenever you’re feeling down, you’ll have something to latch onto and remember. This memory, and all the ones you’ve made before it will surely allow you to miss your friend but also enjoy the memories of the times you’ve had.
Keeping Up Communication Regardless of the Time Difference
I always make sure to remember the time difference between my friends. Adriana isn’t the only one of my friends that’s out of the country! I have a friend who is living in Japan, and when it comes to him, it’s a whopping 13 hours (I’m always telling him to go to sleep) in time difference! Adriana’s is 6 hours. Regardless, I make sure to send a message, maybe they won’t answer automatically but eventually, they will. Plus, there’s always a very warm and nice feeling when you wake up to someone’s text.
Video Chatting
People nowadays face time for the most simple things. Adriana and I try to video chat at least once every two weeks, just to catch up or help each other. Try to see each other’s faces at least once a month! You don’t have to text all the time. Make sure that when you do have a time that’s meant for you to catch up that you focus on truly basking in the presence of each other,
Related: Ways To Reconnect With Old Friends
Those Who Binge Together Stick Together
Do you remember that last hangout I mentioned that I had with Adriana? Well, we spent that whole weekend binging a season of our favorite show. Now, every time a new episode comes out, we make sure to watch it at the same time and discuss it after. It’s an amazing way to bond and has something to do together despite the distance. Find a show both of you would like and watch it. Try not to spoil if you finish watching it first… (sorrynotsorry).
It’s been hard not having my bestie around, but the distance has helped me learn to appreciate our friendship even more. We might not text 24/7, but we Adrianas have each other’s back no matter what.
A word of advice, friendship isn’t about seeing each other physically all the time, it’s about being there when your friend needs you the most. It’s about knowing that you can count on them and they can count on you. And let me tell you that the Pacific Ocean isn’t stopping me, and it shouldn’t stop you.