As we delve further into our college lives (one month at AU woohoo!), the initial shock of the new environment begins to fade away (especially for freshmen) and the juggling begins. Up in the air now are classes, extra-curriculars, trying to figure out how to avoid TDR on the weekends, LAUNDRY (the horror) and friends, both old and new. Suffice to say, it can get a little overwhelming at times. In the midst of juggling all these new things, we often find ourselves unable to keep up with things not in our immediate line of sight–namely, maintaining old connections and friendships.
If you’re anything like me, you love your best friend to the ends of the world, if not beyond. We’ve all heard our parent’s tales of their high school best friends that they drifted apart from, for no other reason than life happened. We all vow this is never going to happen to us… until we get to college and are overwhelmed with an onslaught of too many things. Now starts the “phone tag,” with you missing each other’s calls by a matter of minutes, never being available at the same time and having lives separate from each other for the first time ever.
While it is certainly no easy feat, the good news is that there are ways to work through the issues. Here are 5 things to remember while you struggle to maintain this relationship that is, in my opinion, the most important long-distance relationship there is.
1. SET UP A TIME TO SEE EACH OTHER’S LOVELY FACES
Tired of constantly missing each other’s phone calls? Don’t get frustrated. Instead, talk to your BFF and set up a time to call each other or FaceTime that suits you both!
2. LET’S FLY LET’S FLY AWAY
Fly to each other! I know this sounds impractical, but hear me out. With a little foresight and extensive searching on cheap airlines, you can plan a long weekend where one of you flies out to the other or you meet somewhere in the middle for an epic weekend of bonding and laughter.
3.PLAN SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
If meeting while you’re in college isn’t possible, plan things for winter or summer break, whether it’s going to a concert together, hitting up all your favorite hang-out spots or just doing nothing together.
4. START AN ADVENTURE JOURNAL
A good way to make sure you don’t miss out on important aspects of each other’s new lives is to pen it down! Starting journals where you write down all of your interesting college adventures to exchange with your BFF later is a fun activity that will help you feel more included without being physically present.
5. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE FRIENDS FOREVER
Lastly, even if you don’t talk for days or you’re mad at each other or college life is all-consuming… there’s good news. You’re still best friends and there is no distance that can ever change that!