Young adulthood looks different for everyone. For some people, it’s leaving high school and joining the workforce. For others like myself, it’s about going to college. A lot of times you will witness your childhood friend group embark on all these different paths that lead them into their own version of adulthood. It is so amazing to see your high school and childhood friends move on in life and reach new milestones, but sometimes you can’t help but feel nostalgic about those valuable memories that you made with them. People sometimes find it hard to stay connected with their friends after moving away from their hometown or embarking on a different journey in life. I do believe that some friendships are worth fighting for, so I am going to offer some easy tips on how to maintain your adult friendships. It’s so easy to lose connections with friends we truly love because we never took the opportunity to learn how to be friends as adults, and there are some great ways to avoid that.
- Video calls
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Video calls are such a good way to feel involved in your friends’ life. It’s good to see your friends in real-time rather than just hearing them over the phone or texting. These video calls do not need to happen often, but make sure to try and check in with your friend every couple of weeks.
- Letters
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Call me old fashioned, but I think that there is something so pure about a handwritten letter. It feels more personable than just a regular text message. Just write to your friend and tell them how you are doing and ask about their life. Bonus points if you leave a small gift in your letter, like a keychain or bracelet.
- gifts
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People like to know that you’re thinking of them and you care about what they like. So if you have the means, send some flowers to your friends’ doorsteps or a snack box with their favorite treats. Just remember that these gifts do not have to be expensive, it just has to be something that makes your friend feel loved and seen.
I speak out of experience when I say this, but sometimes there are situations where you have to let people go, and that is the hardest thing about being an adult. No matter how hard you try, it really is inevitable. People will always come and go from your life, but I think the important thing is about remembering the good memories in every friendship that you had. Lastly, if you are making efforts to maintain connections with someone and it is not being reciprocated or you feel like you are being taken for granted, it is always okay to take a step back from that friendship. At the end of the day, the best thing we can do is to try and show up for ourselves and others, and that looks different for everyone.