Going to school away from home can be adjustment, as making time for your hometown friends may pose as a challenge. With having completely different schedules compared to high school, and spending more time with the friends and connections made in college, it is hard to always keep up with the friends that have stuck by your side.
Prioritize!
As life gets busy, it is totally normal to have a shift in where you prioritize your energy. Although you may not communicate all the time and give a full 100% with your friendships made at home, it is still important to keep those friends close to you and still grow with the bonds you’ve have.
Updates!
Ensure that you give weekly updates on how your week has been at school, mentioning if there were any highs and/or lows. Never stop reminiscing on the fond memories made with your hometown friends, as those memories are the ones you can look back and can make you smile and laugh about what happened. Set Facetime calls or video calls to your friends, as communicating through real-time brings out the authenticity in the conversations. Be sure to share any exciting news or projects that bestow upon your education accomplishments!
Make it a Date!
Lastly, to make the friendship worthwhile, plan a date when you will reunite next! I personally like to make my plans a week in advance, so that I have a fun activity and prioritize my focus on school-work in the beginning of the week. Friendships are supposed to be fun and natural, it should never make you feel anxious and put up with or a “chore!”
Written by GUADS intern Kristen
Staying Active During The Holidays