With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, so are the hard goodbyes that come with it. If you are anything like me, you did a terrible job keeping in touch with all your college friends during the summer after freshman year. As I have grown closer with so many people this year, I want to guarantee that I will be able to keep in touch with them over the summer (and I’m not talking about sending snap streaks to stay in touch). Although I have a constant texting relationship with my roommate and very best friend, sometimes it can feel awkward to start a conversation over text. Here are my top five ways to stay connected with your college friends.
- locket
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As an avid Snapchat hater, I love the Locket app. Available for iPhone, Locket allows you and your friends to send each other pictures that appear as widgets on your home screen. My childhood best friend and I use this app all the time; it’s a great way to see your friends and often can strike up a conversation. Whenever my best friend would send me a funny locket, I would immediately text her.
- Weekly Photo Dumps
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Weekly photo dumps are a great low-commitment way to stay in touch. Every Sunday, share 10 pictures with your group of friends that best summarize your week. Either use a group chat or a shared secret Instagram account. This way, all your friends can reply or comment on pictures, and everyone can get a glimpse into your week!
- Watch a show together
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Having a shared show, podcast, or book is a great way to start a conversation. Last year, I kept in touch with one friend by sending each other Eras Tour TikToks back and forth. When you and your friends agree to watch a show together, by no means do you all have to sit down and watch it together, but instead, lay out an episode or two to watch a week. This way, after a certain point, everyone will be up to date, and you can text about it.
- Planned out call nights
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Nothing is better than a long debriefing FaceTime, but finding the time in everyone’s schedules is often difficult. Therefore, pre-planning out weekly, every other week, or even monthly call nights allows you to mark your calendars and find a time that works for everyone. The calls don’t have to be long, it’s just nice to catch up with your friends, hear their voices, and not have to wait for the infamous unresponsive friend to answer your text.
- Just send a text!
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Lastly, the power of a ‘hey how are you doing?’ or’ hey how is your summer going?’ text is extremely underestimated. If you are thinking of someone or miss talking to someone, chances are they feel the same way about you. (This advice does not apply to your ex-situationship, however!) Reaching out can feel a little awkward, but I urge everyone to do it! It’s always worth it, and you never know where the conversation may go.
In the end, leaving for the summer can be hard, but distance doesn’t have to put a strain on the connections you’ve made!