Long distance relationships of any sorts are challenging, however, long distance friendships might be the worst. Luckily for you I have a lot of experience in this category. My best friend Claire lives in Montreal and we are lucky if we get to see each other once a year. Over time, we have both collected some useful tips to maintaining long distance friendships.
1) Constant Contact of Any Form
Luckily for me, Claire is very active on Snapchat so I get hourly updates about everything. I feel more connected to my friend when I am constantly updating her on my day to day activities. For example, a typical text could be, “Hi. I just had a cup of coffee”. This little update shares with Claire that I am getting my day going. Recently I have discovered the power of voice memos. Don’t by shy to send a minute long run down of your day, they are extremely entertaining to listen to.
2) FaceTime
I think by now everyone knows the benefits of having Apple products. To me, FaceTime is the best thing Apple has ever done. I find myself on FaceTime with Claire almost daily. We don’t need to talk or anything. What usually happens is I prop up my phone at some location and go about my day while she keeps me company. Although I know she is not paying attention, this has definitely helped me feel as if we are hanging out.
3) Find My Friends
This one is kinda up to you but I personally find this App it very helpful. When I’m not sure what Claire is up to, I check her location on Find My Friends. Usually I just check to see if she’s at work before I try to FaceTime her. Also, if I haven’t heard from her in a while, I like to see if she’s out and about or sneaking around.
4) Celebrate Each Other
As I’ve gotten older birthdays do not feel like a big deal. However, when in a long distance friendship this is a very good opportunity to make sure your friend knows you are thinking about them. In the past, I’ve gotten Claire Starbucks delivered to her house via Uber Eats and virtual gift cards for local restaurants in her city. For Christmas, we both sent each other little care packages. These little gestures go a long way.
5) Know Each Other’s Friends
This one is honestly pretty critical to our success. Having some sort of base knowledge on their friendship dynamics goes a long way. If Claire is in conflict with one of her hometown friends it allows for me to reason with her and also understand the other friend’s perspective. I absolutely do not get involved in the conflict, but it helps me talk to her about it because I feel more connected.
Long distance friendships are hard. They take work to maintain just like any other relationship, but when you are together I can guarantee it feels like you haven’t spent a day apart. I am not saying these tips are full proof, but they have worked for Claire and I for almost three years. Don’t worry, we will all be reunited with our long distance besties soon enough.
My Twenty Somethings 