Believe it or not, we are rapidly approaching the end of the semester and the start of summer break. Three cheers! You’ve been daydreaming about the end of the semester since, well, the beginning of the semester and soon you’ll be relaxing by the pool, working your ass off (making bank, of course), or beginning a new summer fling. Whatever way you choose to spend your summer, you’ll feel like a piece is missing. That missing piece? Your girls from college. It’s a bittersweet truth. Sure, you may have best friends and family that you are excited to spend more time with while you’re at home, but now that you’re in college, most of your year is spent with your core four or sexy six. After spending almost every day with them during the school year, the withdrawal will be devastating. Therefore, practicing good communication over the summer is crucial to your friendships. In other words, here’s how you KEEP IN TOUCH:
The first and most obvious way is through calling and texting. Duh. You have your phone for a reason and yes, ladies, we must remember that the primary purpose of our phones is to communicate with people. Some of us are big texters and love sending memes and hashing drama out through thoughtful texts. Others would much rather call or FaceTime to get the right emotions across and to literally see their friends – sunburnt and all.
Another way you can effectively keep in touch is through social media. Even though this mode of communication is not one of my personal favorites, it is effective nonetheless. Snapchat is a big one these days and I know I sound elderly when I say that, but I never got into this specific app. I do, however, admit that streaks push you to communicate with your friends every day, even if it’s just a picture of your poorly-made sandwich or your pile of dirty laundry. Instagram is effective in a subtle way because it lets you update your friends on your life without directly contacting them. Sometimes, you’re tired of telling multiple people what happened on your vacation or about the crappy day you had at work. Although commenting and IMing may seem small, it allows your friends to acknowledge your life amongst their busy one and vice versa. Sending funny posts is a plus, too!
Now onto a less popular way to keep in touch. Writing a letter or sending a package: a lot of work but infinitely worth it. I am disappointed that letter-writing and package-sending have become less common. Yes, it requires some effort, but it’s the most rewarding to your friends. Not only do they have something to open when they get home, but they also get something tangible that reminds them of you and brings them joy. By writing a letter, you can include information that is for their eyes only and keep it forever (probably even reflect on it when you both are old and wiser). By sending a package, you can include inside jokes and small, inexpensive things that mean the world. I highly recommend this form of communication. It keeps things exciting!
It’s important to check in with your friends over the breaks, regardless of your methods. Without this communication, people can be or feel easily forgotten by someone that they’d built a mutual relationship with for months. All of your friends need a little TLC while away to remind them of how much they mean to you. So, go have the summer of your life, but don’t neglect your college girls just because they’re out of sight. More importantly, make sure that your friends are putting in as much time to contact you. Remember, phones go both ways.