During my senior year of high school, I was blessed with my best friend. At the moment, I didn’t realize that sitting next to an international student from Croatia on my first day of English class would have such a big impact on my life. My best friend goes to school in Washington DC, but also lives in Croatia. I go to school in Los Angeles and live in Orange County. It’s hard enough going to school across the country from your best friend, but it’s even harder when they also live in an entirely different country. Long-distance friendships are tough, but it taught me 5 life lessons I will never forget.
FaceTime is a life savior
I didn’t realize how amazing FaceTime was until there was a whole country separating me and my best friend. We talk on the phone for hours on end when we’re both free and the time zones line up accordingly. He is the first person I call when I receive good news, or even bad news. FaceTime allows you to feel like you’re right there with your best friend. We’ve laughed, cried, met each other’s friends, and even given each other tours of our schools on FaceTime.
Cherish every minute together
It is really easy to take the time you have with someone for granted. I am definitely guilty for that and didn’t realize how important it was to cherish time with the people you love. The saying “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” really became a reality for me. We have learned to cherish every minute we spend with each other, even if it is just sitting in a room together watching TikToks on our phones.
Patience
With a phone as your main way of contact, there is definitely bound to be some miscommunication. Sometimes it’s hard to understand what someone is going through when you’re over 1,000 miles away. Patience is essential because communication can be difficult sometimes.
Traveling is fun
Growing up, I never really got the opportunity to travel with my family because I was a competitive athlete with a busy schedule. It wasn’t until I got the opportunity to visit my best friend in Washington DC that I realized how exciting it is to visit new places. Not only did I get to see my best friend, but I also got to see the monuments and experience real cold (not “Southern California winter cold”) for the first time!
Appreciation
Appreciation, in my opinion, is the most valuable lesson I’ve learned from living a whole country away from my best friend. I appreciate that friendships, with effort from both people, can thrive and even flourish in the most unfavorable conditions. “Distance makes the heart grow fonder,” as some would say, and I can definitely attest to that.
Although I still cry every plane ride home after visiting my best friend, it is worth every tear. I have learned to appreciate the people around me, near or far. Long-distance friendship has taught me to love with no boundaries- even when there’s a physical one keeping you 1,000 miles from your best friend.