Written by Mariko (she/her), student
Whether you’re moving away from home for the first time to start university, moving to a new city for co-op, or just watching all your friends move away, long-distance friendships are bound to happen at some point in your life.
While these friendships can be more challenging, they don't have to be impossible! Here are a few tips on how to stay connected when the physical distance between you and your friends grows.
Video calls can bridge the distance
There’s nothing like seeing your friends and family face-to-face — but video calling can come close. Don’t underestimate the power of a FaceTime call, or any other type of video call. Most social media apps now have video calling functions to keep you and your loved ones close!
Take pictures for them
When moving away there are tons of new experiences to live! Document your experiences through photos and share them with your friends through social media to share your excitement! Sending pictures to each other directly can feel much more intimate than posting it on your snap or Instagram story.
Send a letter or a card
There’s nothing quite like old-fashioned snail mail. It can be a really nice surprise to get a piece of physical mail when you’re in a new place. Taking the time to write a card or a letter shows friends and family that you really care. You can even enclose a photo or souvenir from your experiences.
Printing stickers, magnets, and postcards as well as digital scanning are actually services provided to you as a student at Waterloo! You can save your files on a USB or laptop and release them at any printer on campus.
Plan get-togethers
No matter how long it is until you’ll all be in the same city, it can be really helpful to plan little get-togethers to look forward to. If you know you’ll all be together at Thanksgiving, plan a visit to a pumpkin patch. If it’s the holiday break, you can plan something such as a Secret Santa event on platforms such as Microsoft Outlook so that everybody can respond to the event. This gives everyone something to look forward to.
Visit each other
If your cities aren’t too far away, it can be a really nice gesture to visit friends and family in their cities! Spend a weekend with them and see their new life through their eyes!
The Grand River Transit (GRT) and ION light rail systems in Waterloo make it easy to get around town or get to places like the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and other surrounding cities. Hop on a bus or train to easily pay your friends and family a visit or have them come visit you in Waterloo!
Make annual traditions
If you’re long distance for the long haul, it can be helpful to create regular traditions to get together every year. This could be a holiday party, an annual spring brunch, or birthday dinner. No matter what happens that year, you still know you’ll be getting together at least once. It can be something to look forward to, especially if you haven’t spoken in a while.
Distance can be scary in any relationship. It’s work on both ends, but it can be rewarding as well. The physical distance between you doesn't mean distance in the friendship as well!
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