As the second semester approaches its halfway point, I find myself anxious to see my hometown friends. I keep envisioning all the special memories we made during the summer leading up to my first semester of college. Finding ways to still feel close to your hometown friends can be challenging. So, here are some tips and tricks on how to navigate those friends you haven’t seen in a few weeks or months!
- Group or Facetime Debriefs
I have found myself really enjoying a debrief from some of my closest friends every weekend. Funny enough, I seem to get a FaceTime at least twice or three times a week! Personally, I find it more comforting to see my friends on FaceTime, so it feels like I am in a real-life conversation. If Facetime isn’t what you like, give them a call! Every time I get the notification on my phone that my best friend is calling me, I get a rush of joy. I love to know that she is thinking of me even when she is thousands of miles away at a different college.
- It’s the Little Things
Whether that is the funniest TikTok or Instagram reel you have seen or something that simply reminds you of your long-distance friend, send it to them! Although I have a tendency to simply send anything remotely funny or sweet to some of my long-distance friends, it means a lot to me when they reply. Something as simple as sending a photo of a flower cup at T.J. Maxx or taking time to decorate a photo frame with the photo of us can mean so much.
- Sending your Love
When the beginning of the semester came about, my best friend’s birthday was days after she left for college. I remember messaging her roommate, asking her to help me get flowers for her. I felt so fulfilled when her roommate sent me a video of her receiving the flowers and breaking out into happy tears. Sometimes, sending something small can make your friends’ entire day. This could be a letter of gratitude, buying each other food and reviewing it together on a call, or sending flowers; sending acts of love can help strengthen a long-distance friendship.
- Be there for them!
Sometimes, I find myself wanting to completely vent about something to my closest hometown friends. With all the chaos out in the world, classes becoming stressful, or simply missing your friends, family, and home, sometimes a venting session is all you need. When your long-distance friend asks to talk, being present during the conversation is essential, as it’ll make all the difference. Showing them that you care by engaging them can mean a lot to them. Sometimes, it can be just as necessary just to be a set of ears for them. Often, I love reminiscing about memories from the summer or a funny moment we shared. Needless to say, be there for your friends; you may never know how much they truly need it at the moment.