With the start of the new semester comes new challenges and adventures. Maybe you’re going on co-op for the first time in New York, or flying to Rome to study abroad, or you scored your dream internship in China! Whatever exciting surprises the spring semester holds for you, there’s one possible downside: You may not be experiencing these things with your best friends or your significant other. It can be hard to stay in touch with people from school if you’re in a different time zone, struggling to learn the language, or working 40+ hours a week. Or maybe you’re the one at Northeastern and miss having your best friend down the hall or your boyfriend two streets over. Here are a few fun and easy tips to make sure you stay connected with your friends no matter how far away you (or they) are.
Send postcards. Lots of postcards.
This may seem old-fashioned with all the messaging technology we have today, but postcards are easily my favorite form of communication for talking over vacation. Whenever my best friend was off on an exciting trip to Disney or Europe and left me all alone back home, she was sure to send plenty of postcards of all the cool places she was visiting. There’s something sweet and enjoyable about checking the mail and seeing a picture of the Eiffel Tower or a beautiful Norwegian sunset, complete with a mini recap about all the amazing sights and experiences your friend has had so far. So if you want to remind your friend what Faneuil Hall looks like in the snow, or let your boyfriend know the flowers in the Royal Botanical Gardens make you miss him, don’t be afraid to send a picture and a heartfelt letter!
Everyone loves care packages!
You may feel like a mom doing this, but every college student I know couldn’t be happier when they get food and gifts from home. Stock up on cute mementos from wherever you are and mail them out. If you’re in New York and feel like lovingly annoying your boyfriend back in Boston, send him a Yankees t-shirt and hat, along with some delicious bagels so he can’t help but smile. Or if your friend in California is really missing that Dunkin Donuts coffee, send a couple of their coffee packs and other cute gifts that’ll remind them of home. Care packages are fun to give and fun to receive, and a great way to let people know you’re thinking of them.
Set up a weekly Skype date/phone call.
If one of you is in Boston and the other one is living it up in Rome/China/an ocean away, hanging out in person may not be an option. But sometimes you can’t explain how rude the cashier at Starbucks was over text and you just have to talk to your friends face-to-face (or voice-to-voice). So make a date for a voice or video hangout at least once a week, where you can catch up on what’s going on in the other person’s life and not be totally out of the loop when they/you get back. Sitting down and actually talking to people back home can be something to look forward to after a long week of work or classes. Setting a certain day or time of the week can require some effort and might not always be possible, but it’s important to make time to talk before two months go by and you realize you haven’t had a real conversation with your friend or boyfriend since then.
Plan a surprise visit.
If it’s doable and not too expensive, go to New York or D.C. for the weekend and surprise your friend! Try to figure out when they have some free time, then buy a train ticket and send them a Snapchat of the outside of their dorm, or ask a roommate to let you into their room and jump out of the closet when they walk in. They’ll be thrilled you came all the way to see them, especially since they weren’t expecting it. I surprised my boyfriend and his roommates with Chipotle one week and he was really happy I came to see him out of the blue, and that I had burritos. If you’re able to and can get the timing right, don’t be afraid to make a surprise visit
Make your friends part of the experience.
This may require some basic knowledge of Photoshop (the less expertise you have, the funnier the result.) Compile the pictures you took on your trip, then artfully photoshop your friend or boyfriend into them (whether they’re standing on top of the Tower of Pisa or swimming in the Mediterranean sea). Then put together a cute scrapbook titled “Our Trip to _____” and give it to your friend, or friends if you decide to make it a group trip. It’ll be sure to get a laugh and maybe even make them feel like they were there!There are tons of ways to make sure your relationships continue to thrive even if you’re not with your friends or significant other, but the most important thing is to keep in touch. Enjoy being in Boston or Tokyo and your amazing co-op or skiing in the Alps, but don’t forget about those that miss you back home.