There is no doubt about it that college is really exciting. You get so many chances to experience new things! Plus who doesn’t love the feeling of being independent? By the time you leave college, you will be a totally different person than you were when you started.
Although you change and cultivate new relationships in college, it’s important to still make an effort to keep in touch with your hometown friends. These are the people that you will swap stories with when you go home for breaks and can offer advice when you struggling. Your friends from high school have been with you for a long time and it doesn’t make sense to just drop them when it gets a little harder to stay in contact. The key is to make time. I know you’re busy. EVERYONE is busy. I also know that you somehow always find a little time for Netflix or a nap or whatever it is that you like to do to destress.
Instead of taking time for only yourself, consider taking time for yourself and a friend to strengthen your friendship! It literally takes two seconds to send a text that says “Hey, how are you doing?” Your friend will appreciate you reaching out and then you can catch up! Another idea is to set up a time when you can Skype each other. You can get a chance to see their campus and their fun room decor even when you’re far away! The blessing of taking time to catch up with your peeps back home is that when you actually do go back home for a break, it won’t be awkward. You will still know what’s going on in their lives and they will be up to date on yours as well.
However, being apart from someone also makes you realize if that person is in fact important to you. Friends from back home grow apart sometimes when you’re all at different colleges. It’s the really great ones that you’ll choose to keep in touch with.So, don’t feel like you need to be friends with everyone that you were pals with in high school once you get to college. If you reach out, and the other person doesn’t make an effort, that friendship may not be worth putting a ton of energy into. Don’t give up easily on people and try reaching out to them more than once. Don’t feel obligated to give more of yourself when others are not doing the same for you though.
At the end of the day, you choose who you want to stay in contact with. All I’m suggesting, as an upperclassman, is that you stay in touch with at least a few people because it can be lonely when you go back home. It only takes a few minutes out of your day to make an effort and you’ll feel good about keeping up that friendship.