As time goes by and college life gets more hectic, some people can start to lose contact with friends from high school and even freshman year of college. Here are some tips on how to reconnect with your old friends without any unwanted awkwardness:
Send Them a Text and Reach Out to Them
Although it may be a little nerve-wracking, the first step in trying to reconnect with an old friend is to just send them a quick message to catch up with them. It can be something as simple as “How have you been?” or “Hey, we haven’t talked in a while. How are you?” The key is to make sure to be yourself and not make the message sound too forced. Another thing I like doing to reconnect is sending shared Snapchat memories from a year or two ago to old friends alongside a message about that day. I always find that a more natural way of starting a conversation with someone I haven’t talked to in a long time is usually the best route.
Try to Set a Time to Meet Up with One Another
If your conversation has been going well and you still feel a connection with your old friend, try to set up a time to hang out and grab dinner or boba together. If it’s a friend from high school and you aren’t in the same town for college, try asking them what their plans are for the next break and see if you both can find a time to meet up then.
Be Understanding if They Have to Reschedule Plans
As college students, people’s schedules can often get busy, especially if they have added a lot to their plate since they’ve last seen you. If your friend has to reschedule a meet-up, try to be understanding and see if they want to meet up with you another time.
Keep in Contact with Them After You Meet Up
After you two hang out, make sure to stay in contact with them since you could easily fall back into your routine and forget to contact them for a while again. If you can, try to hang out with them regularly and re-familiarize yourself with them and learn about new events in their life.
Understand That Some Friendships End Up Drifting Apart
If your initial conversations or meetups don’t go well, maybe it’s time to accept that you are both two different people now. The worst possible thing you can do for yourself and your old friend is to force a relationship that isn’t working, so ultimately trust your gut if you don’t feel comfortable with hanging out with an old friend after some time apart.