One of my personal biggest fears about college was making new friends. Surprisingly, that was no problem! The hard part was keeping up with old friends from home, from high school, from camp, and from work. Texting, tweeting or however you remain in contact with your friends from home is usually not enough when you could just quite possibly be on the other side of the country. In order to keep your friendships alive, step it up and make both groups of friends (old and new) priorities in your life.
Here’s what some CL ladies do to keep up with their classy girl friends:
Photo credit: www.weheartit.com
“My friends from home and I have our own private Facebook group, so it’s really easy to have group conversations and just post funny videos and pictures to everyone! Also, even just random texts about something funny from your day help keep you connected and part of each other’s lives.” – Jenna Ballard
“To me, nothing means more then a Skype and or phone call! It seems so much more personal to hear their voice and fill them in on every little detail of your life.” – Shaundra Boyd
“I’ve never been much of a caller so I will always text my best friends if something happens or I just want to see what’s up with them. Although, phone calls do come in handy for long stories that should come with description. As for everything else… that’s what meeting up and catching up is for!” – Caity St John
“Handwritten notes take a little longer, but I think they can be fun to make and really show that you care.” – Natalie Raymond
Photo credit: www.weheartit.com
If you’re not much of a texter… Pick up the phone and call your friends! Weekends obviously work the best for most of us. However, talk a week or so into the semester with your friends and figure out when to call during the week if something exciting comes up! A week or so gives you and your friends enough time to adjust to the active lifestyle you’ll experience with classes, volunteering, jobs, and hopefully, College Lifestyles!
If you’re into social media and texting… Create a Facebook group for your close group of friends at school or even a message thread. Facebook is easy to check and can be personal! Send your friends cute messages, quotes, and pictures to show them that you’re missing them. Also, this is a great way to coordinate holidays or school visits if everyone is together (even if it’s virtually!).
If you are an old fashioned co-ed… Print isn’t dead yet! Receiving mail, as when you were when you were a kid, is beyond exciting when you’re a college student. A birthday card in the mail or a simple letter to say you care is touching and will not be forgotten! And if you’re feeling creative, hit the mall and pull a few things from Francesca’s Collections and put together a care package for a girl friend’s birthday or if you have a friend who is just down in the dumps. It is a sure fire way to get anyone out of a funk. Be sure to make those packages unexpected and a surprise for an even bigger smile (exchange mailing addresses before you head off or within the first week)!
Remember: any way you can make an effort is showing you care! From a simple “I miss you” text message to a four hour long Skype session, keep your friends in mind.
Kaitlin Fitzpatrick is a Relationship and Lifestyle writer for College Lifestyles as well as a rising junior at Providence College. She loves watching Glee, going to Cheesecake Factory with her friends at school, and taking road trips. Kaitlin is very excited to work with everyone at College Lifestyles this summer!
