For a college student, maintaining strong relationships over the summer is challenging. Whether you’re going home, deciding to travel, or using the summer to be productive, you will find that you may lose touch with certain people. However, it doesn’t have to be that way because there are always steps you can take to stay in touch.
Tag your friend
Social media is home of many things: upcoming models, celebrities, juicy gossip, hate comments and friendships. All you need is an Internet connection, and you can instantly communicate with people from all around the world. With a click of a button, you can talk to your friend who went home for the summer by video chatting or tagging them in pictures and leaving sassy comments.
There are so many different outlets for communication, and the best part of it all is that the Internet is universal. Many times, when people are out of the country, they cannot use their cell phone data, but they can connect to Wi-Fi and chat via the Internet. A simple post or comment could let a friend know that you are still thinking about them.
Make a plan
The summer is busy for everyone because it’s the one season that people dedicate to doing everything they didn’t have the time to do during the rest of the year. So just like any other goal, your chances of success increase if you have a plan on how to achieve it.
A good idea for staying in touch with friends is to plan and set a date for when you can meet up. If you find yourself halfway through the summer, and you haven’t seen your college bestie, get together with him or her and plan at least one day when you guys can catch up. One day is all it takes. You do not want to come back to school in the fall and lose a friend because you didn’t make an effort to see them the entire summer.
In the midst of the summer fun, make it a point to dedicate time to those who matter to you. It’ll be hard to explain why you couldn’t find one day to spend with them out of the 180 days of summer.
Keep the spark
OK — let’s be real, time has a way of flying by. Sometimes, you use social media, and it isn’t enough, or you make plans and have to take a rain check. But, when all else fails, be spontaneous. Do something that you know your friends will love. Whether it’s randomly taking them out to their favorite spot, phone calls, or surprise visits, you have to do something that shows them that you are thinking about them.
The great thing about relationships is that a strong relationship means a strong bond. You know what that person likes and doesn’t like, and you should use that to your advantage. If you know your friend’s favorite snack or videogame, surprise him or her with it. Sometimes, even a quick “thank you” text or card can do the trick.
Sometimes it may be hard to make the first move because you’ll wonder why your friend isn’t making any effort either. The truth is, you are both probably thinking the same thing and waiting for the other to reach out. So, that’s why you should just try one of these things, the other person will see your effort, and then he or she will put some effort in, too. Sometimes, it just takes the initial effort to get the ball rolling.
Your friendships are ultimately a big part of what helps you get through the stress of college. Many college students are away from home and are not lucky enough to be able to drive home for the weekends. When the pressures of rigorous courses kick in, it’s great to have a second family on campus you can lean on. Plus, we all know there’s certain things you would discuss with a friend that you would never tell a parent. The experience of college is definitely a little more inviting when you’re experiencing it with great friends.
