Hi wonderful people!
As we grow older, it’s a sad reality that we may not always be a 5-minute drive away from our high school besties. Today, I wanted to talk more about what it’s like having to move away from some of your best friends and how to keep those long distance friendships.
Going to college is often the biggest reason why we drift apart. This is exactly what happened to a lot of my high school friendships. We went to different colleges, and we did a good job staying in touch at the beginning. However as time went on, we started making new friends, our schedules got busier, and it’s rare that we’d visit our hometowns at the same time of year. This was such a harsh reality.
With that being said, I still have some friends that I still consider to be my best friends even after years of not living in the same city. We could go months without talking, and it’ll feel just like it did back in high school.
I have one friend in mind as I share how we’ve been able to keep our long distance friendship going. We’ve been friends for about 8 years now. One thing I do have to say is that we thrive off of having a low maintenance friendship. In high school, we were pretty attached at the hip, but we never needed a lot of energy to hang out. We could just sit and chat and call that a good time. I feel like that helped us transition into our long distance friendship pretty well because we could go months without talking, and one FaceTime call or text thread was enough to continue watering our relationship.
I think it helps that we’ve always been so blunt with each other and are tough love type of people. We’ve never had much of a falling out. She is such a genuine person, and we’ve shared so many raw moments with each other. I’m so lucky to have someone like that. I hope you find something in this post that helps you with your long distance friendships, too. Without further ado, let’s get into the post!
Share Life Updates- Big or Small
It is so easy to forget to update your long distance friends. I love hearing about big milestones in their life just as much as I enjoy hearing what they had for breakfast. However, I get so caught up in what’s going on in life sometimes. Sending a quick text to update them and vice versa is so helpful in maintaining that friendship because those constant efforts to connect help build a consistency communication down the road.
Plan Times to Catch Up
We are so lucky to live in a time where we have things like FaceTime and social media. It is so easy to connect. If it’s been a long time since we last spoke, my friends and I will usually plan a FaceTime where we’d be free to talk for at least an hour. Sometimes, planning calls spontaneously could work. Considering how busy life gets, I find it easier to have a call set up that way I have something to look forward to as well!
Send the Occasional “Out of the Blue” Text
I think “just thinking of you” texts are some of the sweetest messages. It shows your friends that they are important to you. I also love the “this reminded me of you” texts because the sentiment is so genuine. These messages are such great ways to start a conversation while also reminding them that they are so loved. Often times, these convos turn into much needed catch-ups!
Switch Up the Social Media Platform You Use to Communicate
Again, we are so fortunate to have so many ways to reach friends all over the world. My long distance bestie and I will share Tik Toks, Instagram posts, Snap memories, etc. I love this way of keeping in touch. It’s just another way to connect and build your friendship while being miles apart.
Plan a Trip to Meet Up
This one definitely requires a bit more planning. My long distance best friend lives on the other side of the country now, so planning a meet-up isn’t super easy. However, she has visted me where I live, and it was such a great milestone in our friendship. I got to show her my favorite spots, and she got to learn more about this new chapter of my life while still being a part of it in someway.
Send Each Other Mail
Recently, we were texting each other and sending updates on what we’ve been up to. She sent me some pictures of some crochet projects she’s been working on. This is when we came up with the idea of doing a little craft exchange! I’ve been into making polymer clay charms, so I’m going to send her three charms while she sends me a crochet eyeglass holder. I’m so excited for this idea because it is such an intentional way of showing each other how much the friendship means to us.
Be Flexible and Show Understanding
Life gets busy. I have different expectations of our friendship compared to the friendships I have with people who live in the same city. We are more understanding of each other because we get how hectic life can be. Even if we have a call planned, we give each other grace if we end up not being able to make it. It is such a joy being able to grow up separately and still have so much love for one another. Don’t forget to cherish that!
So with that being said, I think my biggest piece of advice is to have grace with yourself and friends. I’m definitely still learning how to maintain my long distance friendships even after 5 years. It can be tough finding that time out of your busy schedules, but it is so worth it. We are so lucky to learn and grow with each other even if we’re miles apart. My long distance friends are truly some of my most treasured relationships.
I hope you were able to find something on this post you resonated with. See on the next one <3