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The Reality of Long Distance Friendships in College

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at San Francisco chapter.

The excitement of packing up a part of my life and starting anew, started to fade when I sat alone in my room for the first time. The realization that I was going to be on my own–for lack of better terms–hit me like a truck.

Although having grown up in San Jose, only an hour away from San Francisco, the feeling of being left out and forgotten continued to linger in the back of my mind. Most of my friends are going to the college in our hometown, which means fitting each other into their schedules wasn’t hard to do. Text messages in the group chat about grabbing coffee before class or running errands together made me regret the decision to leave home. I couldn’t decide to drive home on a random weekday nor did I have the time to.

It sounds silly, but the feeling of loneliness always crept up on me and became increasingly hard to shake off. I was afraid that the distance would make us lose our connection and become strangers. Now, I would be lying if I said I never thought about transferring to the college in my hometown. However, as the months went on, I began to realize that distance should never come in between your relationships. Rather than letting the loneliness consume me, I was able to find ways to stay connected.

Consistent Communication

If you find yourself in the same boat, it’s just a reminder that you’re not alone. The first step to combatting the harsh reality of long distance friendships in college–is to talk to someone. It’s a disservice to yourself to keep these thoughts and feelings bottled up. With the wide variety of social media platforms, it’s easy to stay connected. There are apps that remind you to capture authentic moments of your everyday life. You can see what your close friends and family are up to in real time, which makes it feel as though they are part of your daily routine. Sending each other funny videos or pictures is another way for you to let them know that you’re thinking about them. I tend to blow up the group chat with non-important texts like; “This person in front of me is wearing bright pink knee-high Converses,” or “Guys, my coffee tastes like dirt today,”. It includes them in my day without them physically being there.

Movie Night

Besides texting and updating one another about the trivial moments in life, I found virtual hangouts to be the most fun. Streaming platforms is the perfect way to partake in such hangouts. The best thing about it, is that you can plan a movie night anywhere at any time. Platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, or Hulu support ‘SharePlay’; a feature that allows you, friends, or family to simultaneously watch a movie from the comfort of one’s home. If there’s a particular movie that I am excited about, I send a quick text to my friends and we’re able to set aside a night to watch it.

Shared Activities

Having an activity that you can partake in with others can lessen the feeling of loneliness and you don’t have to meet in person to do it. Activities like crocheting, studying, or playing video games together can make you stay connected and have fun. Personally, playing video games with my friends is one way I can decompress from a long day and catch up with my friends.

Looking back, my worries seem insignificant. Being away from my friends and family made me think of new ways to stay connected. Nowadays, I feel even closer to them than I have ever been before. From texting one another about daily life to planning movie nights and video chatting while sharing hobbies, such efforts keep our connection thriving. Distance can make things difficult, but it has been comforting to know that it hasn’t put a strain on our relationships.

Trish Huynh

San Francisco '25

Trish is currently a fourth year at San Francisco State University. She is majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing. Outside of the classroom, Trish enjoys walking along Ocean Beach, crocheting, and taking pilates at the Mashouf Wellness Center. With this being her last year at SF State, Trish hopes to push herself to be the best she can be, make a difference within the Her Campus community, and continue to make new memories!