Trying to keep in touch with your college friends after graduation? Here are tips for maintaining meaningful connections and thoughtful communication with friends after university.

Bidding goodbye to your college life doesn’t necessarily mean losing your college friends as well. College graduation is a bittersweet time, but it marks the day that you can finally become a real adult with a professional job.

However, this is also when juggling between a full-time job and keeping in touch with your friends can prove to be difficult. In fact, it’s very common for young people today to lose their high school or college friends.

Nonetheless, having your college friends in your life–people who have been with you in some of the hardest times of your life–is a great thing, something that you will extremely be grateful for later on. As such, we have created this article to give you some advice on how to keep your uni friends even after you go your separate ways

Meaningful Ways To Stay In Touch With Friends After College

Why keeping in touch with friends is important?

For an introverted person like me, it isn’t exactly easy to make friends. But once we do, we stick with them for life. It’s rare for people to still keep in touch with their high school friends several years later.

But with college friends, it’s a bit easier since you’re more mature and more level headed. Family is important, but there’s also another kind of solace you get from having true friends. You can tell them things you cannot confide to your family. What’s more, spending time with them and reminiscing about your uni days is fun. Simply put, they make everything extra fun and exciting.

How do you stay in touch with a long-distance friend?

Since our schedules tend to overlap, the only way we can communicate is through texts, calls, and emails. It’s tough, but we make it work by putting effort. We send each other presents during birthdays and holidays. We make plans to meet in the future so there’s something to anticipate. We leave messages for each other, no matter how random and short those are.

Then, sometimes, we meet in the middle. If one isn’t able to travel, we go to her instead. Truth is, staying in touch with a friend doesn’t always mean constant communication. We can go days without hearing from each other, but once we do, our bond stays the same. When you have friends like that, don’t let them go.

Do you lose friends after college?

I did, and I’m pretty sure most of us, if not all, also lost friends after graduating. Losing contact is one of the reasons. I’ve had friends like that. We weren’t able to maintain contact so we just drifted away. Another common reason is that your interests aren’t the same anymore. Again, whatever the reasons are, it’s natural for most people to lose friends, so don’t be too disheartened.

But did you know that there’s also the type of friend who is in it for the long haul? The type of bond that stays unbreakable no matter how much distance and time there is between you? Thankfully for me, I have those friends. Still, doing your part in keeping in touch with them is very important. You have to show that you care and you want to stay in their lives. So, make time to send messages and talk with them.

Ways To Stay In Touch With Your College Friends

Leaving college and starting a new life is a great accomplishment. On the flip side, this also means possibly leaving behind your lifelong friends who’ve been your support system. Well, news flash, you can definitely keep your college friends. The question now is, how? Here are ways you can maintain contact with these people:

1. Travel to meet up

What’s a better excuse to travel than going to meet your long-time friend? Get away from your work and go to your friend’s city to do some catching up and de-stressing. You won’t need a tour guide, plus, you already have a place to crash. Best of all, you can be with her and talk all night long. You can also decide to meet somewhere in the middle, so it’s more fair. Then from there, look for a new place to explore together.

2. Speak up

Is something bugging you? Have something to say? Just be honest and let your friend hear your worries. You can ask her to talk more often than what you guys are used to if it helps. You never know, she may just be waiting for you to bring it up because it’s exactly what she wants as well. If not, then you’ll surely be able to compromise. You’re best friends, after all.

Video chat is much easier today with Facetime, Zoom, Skype, and a variety of platforms. Use these methods to see and hear your good friends.

3. Be understanding

Adulting can change a person. A person can turn a complete 180 degrees a few years after graduation when life hits them hard. Unless your friend has done illegal things, be accepting of who she has become. Some of her preferences for clothing, food, and other things may be different, but if she’s still the friend you love inside, don’t leave her.

Also, some people’s way of coping is to disappear or cut off communication with their loved ones. If she does that, be open and give her the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes time and space are what they need to cool off. Just make sure to be there for her when she goes back and is ready to unload her concerns.

4. Create a friendship ritual

When you start working, time just flies so fast, there’s no stopping it. Afraid your best friend may go astray after not spending enough time with her? Create a ritual of some sort, where it involves just you and her. You can plan to go out one Saturday night a month, have a movie date every Friday, go camping every other week, or anything. Whatever activity you decide, make it personal but fun for both of you.

5. Send them personalized gifts

Handwritten letters are incredibly rare these days. Sure, emails and DMs are the norms but sending handwritten mail says a lot. It’s more personal and it shows that you care enough to put effort into writing and going to the post office. Also, make sure to greet them on her birthday. If you cannot send them a gift, that’s okay. Leaving a message or better yet, a voice mail should be enough. You can make up next time or during holidays and send them presents.

6. Communicate regularly in small ways

Even if you don’t have the time for a full conversation. You can always text a funny gif or tag them in a picture to let them know that you’re thinking of them. Whenever you’re on social media and you come across something that your college friend would enjoy, then send it to them.

If you don’t want to fill up their inbox, then simply tag them in the comment section. Small things like things will at least keep you guys engaged and hopefully lead to a more meaningful communication.

7. Play games

For busy friends or friend that live apart, a great way to connect is to play a game. There are lots of online games to which you guys can play together. Some games are dependent on time so you guys can play at your own leisure. There’s also games where you can just visit each other’s creations. Invite your uni friend to check out a game to help you guys keep in touch.

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