Having your best friend(s) go to a different college as you is hard enough as it is, but when they go somewhere out of state (or vice versa) it can be hard to deal with. My small group of close friends are spread throughout the United States due to our choice of school. Two of them are in Portland, Oregon, one in Manhattan, New York, and the other in Athens, Ohio. They’re all over while I am still in good old Pennsylvania. During the first month, I’ve realized it’s hard to comprehend the distance. It’s a strange feeling being awake at 2:30 am after a concert and not being at Eat n’ Park with my friends. It’s weird being in a car at 11 pm and not having 5 people squeezed in a yellow bug listening to The Front Bottoms on full blast.
Some nights, I found myself crying to my only best friend who stayed in the area (and the same university) about how much I miss the friends who have moved. I knew there was no way I could do that everyday, so there were some things I did to help cope with it, and keep in touch.
1. Start a group chat (if they have an iPhone)
This was a tradition that really started our best friendship, but it’s also a good way for friends to stay in touch. We are always sharing pictures, and swapping stories of something crazy that happened on our various campuses. It’s a great way to keep each other up to date!
2. Call them every once in a while
Though texting is convenient, but a phone call seems more meaningful. Hearing their voice telling you more in-depth stories is almost like being with the person, and it’s comforting. Find a time when your schedules don’t conflict and just talk for a few minutes or even hours. It’s reassuring to know how they are doing and its nice to know they care too.
3. Hang out over holiday breaks and long weekends
When the holidays roll around, make sure you plan with them when you can meet up and grab some coffee, or have a sleepover like the good old days. You’ll get to know all about how college is for them so far, and you can share crazy stories with them too.
Though missing them is hard to deal with, college is an amazing place to make new friends. I have met so many people from around the states, and around the world, and they all have interesting stories to share, jokes to crack, and advice to give. They’ll never replace your childhood/high school best friends, but your new friends can help you get by, especially because they miss their friends too.