Whether you’re starting school this September close to home, or far away, sustaining friendships is always a challenge! When September rolls around, the haze of the summer lifts and the crisp air of fall arrives. A sudden surge of schedules colliding and trying to organize times to visit one another follows and with that, disconnect can happen.
Making plans with friends isn’t always the easiest thing, especially since everyone only seems to be getting busier! If distance separates you or your schedule does, there are some steps you’ll need to follow to keep your friendship alive.
Don’t be the friend that lets other commitments take over their lives and friendships. I live many hours away from one of my good friends, and although we are so far away from one another, we have already made plans to visit! It’s not an easy task, trying to stay in touch with people, it takes thought and effort. Having a friendship is a two way street and requires both parties to put in equal amounts of work. If you’re feeling as though September has been overwhelming with assignments and getting organized, make the extra effort with your friends! Give them a call instead of texting them. Connecting by the phone will show them that you really care about them and what’s going on in their lives. I’m a fan of handwritten notes, send your friend a letter or card, who doesn’t love getting mail? If you’re willing to spend the money on shipping, you could even send a care package, with all of their favourite things. Completing these tasks are the steps to making plans to have dinner or meet up for coffee.
Having sustainable friendships shows your friends that you care, even when you haven’t had time to connect in a while. Text them to see how they’re doing or what they’ve been up to. All of these small details add up and will be appreciated by your friends, and noticed, trust me! When you make plans, try your best not to be late! It was probably hard enough for you both to find the time to meet up. After sending numerous texts to one another to decide on a time that works for you two, do not bail. Do your very best to stay committed. You don’t want your friend to think you don’t value their time. After meeting up with your friend, send them a text or message telling them how much you enjoyed spending time together and updating one another on your lives. You could even at this point set up another time in the future to go shopping, wander down the canal, grab a pumpkin spice latte or kick it old school with a chick flick and a sleepover. Whatever you decide, it lets your friend know that you value your friendship and are willing to invest the time and energy required, as long as they are.
Whether you’re trying to reconnect or just catch up, be the bigger person. Text/call your friend and let them know you miss them and want to catch up! You’ll be so glad you went on that coffee date.
Photo Sources:
http://www.sd43.bc.ca/secondary/terryfox/PublishingImages/september_calendar.jpg
http://templeboundparadox.blog…
http://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/a6f392e9c6ae4527b712bb86e88be6f4.jpg