It’s no secret that making friends and keeping them is much easier in elementary school. When you were 8 years old, you didn’t have a job and 15 hours of weekly coursework. You met with your classmates and friends every day, Monday through Friday, for 6 hours, along with playdates and sleepovers during the weekends. You grew together, learned together, and played together. Unsurprisingly, things get harder in post-secondary schools, and even harder when you get a job and start a family. It can be easy to let other things get in the way of friendships, creating distance between you and your friends, and eventually having things fall apart. You can’t let this happen.
Friendships are an essential part of life, especially if you want to be connected to the world, to grow as a person, to stay mentally strong, to improve your mood, to widen your perspective, to stay away from the chasm of loneliness, to improve your quality of life, and much, much more. Friends provide comfort, reassurance, support, and they generally keep you from going crazy. Like most worthwhile things, they take work and dedication. This doesn’t mean you have to abandon your responsibilities in order to hang out with someone, but it does mean dedicating a little bit of time to them every day or every few days to check up on them, share something with them, or even let them know that you’re thinking of them. There are a lot of simple ways to do this. You can:
1. Send memes
By memes, I mean any funny photos and videos you think your friends will like. It’s a nice way to brighten up their day and let them know that you’re still thinking of them.
2. Hit them up in chat
Every once in a while, ask them how they’re doing, what they’re up to, or even just what they think about your new dress. Some news can seem insignificant and not worth the effort, but even little things like that can keep the connection going and keep friends close.
3. Comment on their photos
There are so many ways to stay connected on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. People constantly share stories about where they are, what they’re up to, and a friend stands out as someone who actively connects through story and photo comments.
4. Schedule a little call
As easy as social media has made it to stay in touch, comments and texts can only do so much—sometimes you need more. You can call once a week, once a month, or once every few months, depending on what best suits you and your friends’ style.
5. Show support when they need it
Ultimately friends stand out as supportive and helpful. As long as you’re there to listen when they need you, as long as you can support them and give advice, and as long as they can provide the same, the friendship will last.
6. Remember the little things
Being attentive and remembering the little things is a great way to show your friends that you care about them. If someone mentions they’re nervous about an event happening in a week, jot down a little note on your calendar and wish them luck when that date comes around. It’s small, but meaningful.
7. Share your life
Keeping a close friendship means being open and intimate. While your Instagram followers can see you went on a trip to Bali, your friends will know about your jet lag, your unfortunately timed period cramps, and your beach escapades with an obsessive crab.
8. Meet up in person
Nothing works better in terms of maintaining a friendship than making memories together. It can be a challenge to plan a meeting, but when you’re dedicated, you can make a little room to see each other every now and then. No matter how far apart you may be, a little time together can boost a friendship indefinitely.