When friends move away, it can be a turbulent, traumatic time. That person, who was there for you during good and bad moments, is no longer physically present. They may be available over phone or video, but it’s never quite the same as when you could spend real time together. Fortunately, long distance friends make the decision to keep in touch so getting back together is never too far away. Here are 11 strategies on how to strengthen those long-distance friendships so the miles feel like they don’t mean a thing.
- Read a Book Together. The beauty of reading is that it’s timeless, with nearly endless books to choose from. Pick a genre you enjoy, then regularly update each other on your progress and when you’re in alignment, discuss the book as you’re going along. It’s a great way to feel connected because you’re both sharing in the same experience.
- Send Random Photos. Life isn’t necessarily about the big events; it’s about the everyday, small things that happen to us. Don’t be afraid to snap a shot of your screw ups in the kitchen or some other arbitrary shot that perfectly depicts your life at that moment. This will encourage them to do the same, and feeling connected will come naturally through these silly pictures.
- Send Gift Baskets to Each Other. Everyone loves getting gifts through the mail, and the beauty of a basket is you don’t have to make the end result outrageously expensive for it to be meaningful. There are plenty of items to stuff into a basket so that it feels bursting over with love.
- Gourmet candies
- Homemade card
- Framed photo of the two of you
- Send an eGift Card. You know, better than anyone else, what your best friend likes. eGift cards are available to use at countless stores, and are easy to send via text or email. They’ll be delighted to find the gift waiting for them electronically, with the ability to easily track the balance. A great way to celebrate Best Friend’s Day, their birthday or any given Tuesday.
- Watch a Movie Together. Streaming services are smarter than ever before, now they offer watch parties (or variations on this theme) so that friends who aren’t in the same physical space can watch the same movie. Hulu offers Hulu Watch Party, and there’s Netflix’s Teleparty Chrome Extension, and Disney’s Group Watch.
- Write an Ongoing Letter. There’s something special about seeing a friend’s handwriting. This strategy involves writing one paragraph of a story or memory and then sending it through the postal mail, and then having them do the same. Back and forth until the story or memory is complete. Then, save it in a scrapbook and start another one!
- Always Be Planning. Regardless of whether you just came back from a trip with each other, within a couple of weeks, begin the preparations for the next time, even if it is a year away. This will give you both plenty of time to save money, and you can enjoy the process of deciding on a destination, the things you will do, and anticipating the trip until the time comes.
- Keep Phone Dates. Friends only drift apart when they no longer share their lives with one another. Make and keep phone (or video call) dates, and don’t just share the big, obvious stuff like how you did on an interview, but the little stuff, too. This will help you both feel connected with one another, instead of that time being spent talking about ‘obligatory’ information to pass along.
- Surprise, Surprise! There’s nothing wrong with surprising each other with a text out of the blue, a call just because or even (if practical) a visit. Surprising someone helps them feel valued and reminds them that you’re thinking about them.
- Don’t Hide from Conflict. When people live far away from each other, it’s easier to avoid conflict when it arises. It’s also easier to misunderstand a text. If you’re both dedicated to making the friendship work, talk ahead of time about how to handle a possible misunderstanding and conflict. Talking about it over the phone or video call is really the only way to settle a disagreement.
- Play Online Games Together. Whether you are playing on an app or on an Xbox, playing games together in real time is not only a great outlet for stress, but it’s also a wonderful way to spend fun, competitive time together.
A friend moving far away is a sad process, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up where you left off. It might take a little bit more effort but staying committed to a friend reaps its own fantastic rewards now and into the future.