When was the last time you heard someone say, “I have SO much free time” or “I’m never busy enough”? If you did, it was probably over Christmas break or summer vacation. During the school months, though, I’d be hard pressed to run into anyone who would tell me that. “Busy” is a way of life. Being in tons of clubs, studying hard for one’s classes, that’s the modus operandi of Notre Dame. On top of that, you try to make time for sleep, your social life, and your loved ones back home. The problem is, when you have no time, how do you find time to keep in touch with friends and family at school and home? Here are some ideas for making use of time you didn’t realize was there!
1. Plan meals with friends you never see
While we all have those crazy days when grab-n-go is the only option, for the most part, meals are a necessity—so why not make it a chance to catch up with a faraway friend? Even if you only usually hit up the dining hall once a day, you can designate one or two days each week to grabbing a meal with someone you wouldn’t otherwise see. (For example your friend who lives in Carroll.)
2. Squeeze in a chat with your parents
Make a long walk back from class (when you’re not walking with anyone else, of course) into a ten-minute check-in with one of your parents or a friend from home. Especially in the winter, it can make the walk back feel a little less frigid.
3. Try the pen pal life
If you know that calling your best friend from home would end up being a three hour conversation that you don’t have time for, write letters instead. First off, who doesn’t like getting mail? And second, anything beats the alternative of not talking until you both get home on break. Take advantage of the time to write for fun, and not for school! It’ll only take you a half hour, at the very most.
4. Call a friend while you’re putting away your laundry
Just put your friend on speakerphone and you’re set for a nice twenty minute chat.
And for the crazy ones out there like me…here are a few of my less-than-normal habits:
1. Call your mom while on the elliptical (when you’ve got the dorm workout room to yourself, of course)
2. Call your dad while running (Don’t try this at home, kids)
3. FaceTime your cousins while washing your dishes
That said, I do actually spend time with people here at school! But I have also found those weird ways of how to keep in touch with the people I love back home. In fact, I think the stranger the better; then they know it’s still my weird old self they’re talking to!
XOXO, HCND
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Images: provided by author