Sometimes, all a girl really needs is a girls’ day. A day filled with long lunches, shopping, movies, and pampering can really do a lot for the soul. A day filled with lighthearted bonding and laughter can keep a friendship alive and well. A successful girls’ day can consist of absolutely anything, as long as your best friend is by your side. But, what happens when your best friend is hours away? Does the friendship die as the miles increase between you? As the months pass by, does conversation become less and less? For many, this is absolutely the case, but it does not have to be.
College can be an exciting time for everyone. New places and new people create an environment that is fun and nerve-wracking, all at the same time. But, sometimes, it also comes with sadness and heartbreak. Life-long friendships can be ripped apart as you choose universities on opposite sides of the state, maybe even opposite sides of the country. The distance can place a strain on the friendship, and many crumble under the pressure. Instead of letting the distance affect the friendship—embrace it and learn to appreciate the gift of a long-distance best friend. In the end, it is better to talk to them through the phone than not at all.
With your best friend far away, you do not get to see them every day like you did when you were in high school. While a first this may seem annoying and hard to adjust to, it will be one of the greatest things for the friendship. The distance forces you to have a more open line of communication. Your friend is not there experiencing everything you are, so you actually get to tell them what is happening in your life; they are not there with you every step of the way, day in and day out. It’s like you have another mother. You tell her about everything and all your friends, and she responds and comments like she knows them even though she does not and probably never will. Your conversations become more important and meaningful because you are constantly telling each other how you did on your exam, how your job is going, and how that boy is irritating you and ignoring you all at the same time.
One of the best parts of the long-distance friendship is when you get to visit each other, whether at home or at one another’s school. You talk about it for weeks; with the amount of “I can’t wait until I see you” texts, it’s almost like you two are dating. You plan about 100 hours’ worth of stuff to do for a 36-hour visit, and somehow you get it all done and more. And, as soon as the visit is over, you are both onto the next one. The process continues until summer vacation arrives, but you both know those three months will go by faster than either of you want.
Long-distance friendship is hard, sad, and very annoying, but anything is better than losing the best friend you had all your life. So, yeah, the friendship may change a bit, but it will most likely for the better because if you try hard enough, the distance will only make you closer. Before you know it, those four years will fly by, and you will be each other’s maid of honors and your children’s godmothers while becoming the powerful mom squad at the PTA meetings.
My best friend and I, separated by three hours but closer than ever.