Some may view departing for college and leaving their friends as the end of an era. However, by embracing this exciting time in life, it’s not too hard to stay in touch with your old best friends while experiencing the excitement of college. Here are some ways to manage:

1. Facetime Meetings—whether you make it a weekly tradition, or just a quick hello between classes, a Facetime chat with your bestie is sure to keep you two close at heart. When times get tough away at school, the comfort of seeing your best friend’s face is sure to make any day better.
2. Snail Mail—a nice blast from the past to send your friend’s way is a handwritten note. Being pen pals with your hometown friends is a great way to keep in touch and create a special bond that emails just can’t provide.
3. Coincide Your Trips Home—a great way to make sure you get to still see your best friends is to schedule your trips home for the same weekends, holidays, or other events. Most schools have similar spring and winter breaks, so this should not be too much of a challenge. Coming home to be greeted by a hug from your old pal is the nicest gift of all!
4. Exchange College Sweatshirts—this is a tradition practiced by head of the journalism department, Lauren Vaculik. Vaculik told her squad, “Me and my friends sent each other school spirit hoodies for Secret Santa. They just piled up, we all had so many!” This is a unique and fun tradition that will remind you of all your friends back home. When you’re sporting gear from your BFF’s school, it doesn’t make them feel so far away.
5. Plan Trips to Each Other’s Schools—nothing is more exciting than finding your best friend from back home on your way back from class. Spend a weekend at your friend’s university! This is a good solution for friends who have different spring breaks.

It may seem hard to keep in touch with your amigos from back home from across the country, so hopefully these tips help you and your friends stay close once you’ve all gone away to school!