Senior year of high school is filled with all kinds of emotions. Although excited for a new start in college, you do have to leave your high school routine and the people you’ve been in school with for years. Now, this may be a good thing, but you may also be upset to leave your friends who you’ve grown up with. I was definitely sad to leave my friends because I have a very tight friend group that I’ve been with since kindergarten. Even though I knew that my friends and I would stay in touch, it would definitely be harder since we wouldn’t see each other every day. But if anything, we’ve grown closer. Here’s how!
1. Call each other
In an age of just sending a quick text, calling someone can feel like a task. Although I fall guilty of texting more than calling, I’ve come to prefer a phone call. Being able to catch up and hear the other persons voice is a great way to feel connected. You can call your friend while walking to class or on the treadmill; finding a time to talk won’t be a difficult task. Calling someone allows for a better chance to have an in-depth conversation rather than sending a few words back and forth.
2. FaceTime
FaceTime is an amazing way to chat (when you’re willing to show your face). When you FaceTime, you get to see your friends’ dorms and meet their college friends virtually. FaceTime is also great since now you are able to do a group call! So, call up the whole squad and catch up.
3. Keep the group chat alive
Even when my friends send lame memes, it is great to chat with all my friends at once. Sending quick little updates or funny stories about your day is an easy way to stay in touch with your friends and share with them your life away from home.
4. Send care packages
My friends and I swapped mailbox addresses, so we could send each other birthday presents or little care packages throughout the year. Sending something doesn’t have to be over the top. Even just writing a letter to show you’re thinking of them is a thoughtful way to keep in touch. For example, one of my friends sent me a box of all my favorite things after I was telling her about my stressful few weeks. College can be very tiring at times, so it is nice to still do things for your friends even if they aren’t a few minutes away anymore.
5. Visit each other’s campuses
If your breaks don’t line up with your home friends, that’s a perfect chance to go visit their campus! Visiting your friends’ schools is an awesome way to get involved in their college life. Seeing where they go to school and live for the majority of the year is an awesome experience and allows you to be more in the know of their new routine.
Thankfully we live in a time where staying in touch is so simple. Going off to college doesn’t mean your high school friendships will drift apart. College made me realize how thankful I am to have such amazing friends back home and helped me realize what kind of qualities I want in friends here on campus. When you see your friends on break it’ll feel like nothing has changed. You will pick up right where you left off with new stories to share.