With summer half way over, you might already be longing to be back at College or missing your friends. Keeping up with your college friends during the summer can be a good way to recreate all of those crazy and fun things you did last year. So here are some different and relatively simple ways to keep in touch with friends:
Online
▪ Skype/Facetime — Set up an account, day and time to video chat. Skype is a great way to talk with your friends face-to-face and tell your story and let your friend know how you’re doing rather than through text. For those who have iPhones, FaceTime is equivalent to skyping and doesn’t require a computer. Make sure the person you are Facetiming has an iPhone otherwise you won’t be able to communicate.
▪Group Facebook Messages — Create a message between you and some of your close friends is an easy way to stay in touch. You can share stories with and ask questions at the same time, rather than individually posting on their walls or messaging each one individually. As summer comes to a close, it’s also a great way to start planning things you’ll need for your apartment or any adventures you and your friends will be doing once your back on campus.
Face-to-Face
▪ Did you say road trip? — If your friend is within driving distance, plan a long weekend to visit. Although this may be costly (or nearly impossible in some cases), it’s definitely worth the time to carve out a road trip with your best friends over the summer. Even though we all get caught up with our summer plans, it’s definitely worth it to spend some good travelling time. If your friend lives too far away, plan to meet them halfway (pick a city somewhere in between that you both can find things to do).
Alternatives
▪ Mail — That’s right, snail mail. Send a letter or post card can be a simple and great way to remind your friends that you are thinking about them. Besides, who doesn’t like getting things in the mail.
▪ Phone — Start up games on your smart phone that let you and a friend play together. It can be something so simple as Words With Friends. The point is to have fun and remind your friends of your existence.
▪ Phone Call — Picking up the phone and call a friend to check in is so much more personal and will ultimately make your bond stronger than just stalking them on social media. Yes, liking their pictures reminds them that you exist, but there is no feeling like getting a surprise phone call from a great friend. Take the extra minute once in a while to make a phone call. Even if your friend doesn’t answer, leave a funny voicemail, a recap of how you’ve been and let them know you’d like to hear from them.
What have you done to keep in touch with your friends this summer? Let us know here
