This is an amazing guest post from my talented friend, Kelley Holahan
The caps have been tossed, the gown hangs in the back of your closet and your diploma has been proudly displayed in your room…somewhere. Full of well deserved confidence you pour over job openings, strut your stuff in interviews and finally get that first post-graduation job. You are on top of the world. But something is missing. My guess would be those people you just spent the last four (or so) years of your life with. Remember them?
Staying in touch with friends after college is not easy. These people are no longer a doorknob away. They live in all different parts of the country and in some rare cases outside of it. Your relationship with them has now become long distance and it can be a tough adjustment. You will inevitably lose touch with a few but then there are the ones who became not only your friends but also your family. How do you keep in contact with them?
The easiest way to stay up to date on your friends’ lives is through the ever-growing, ever-changing, wonderful world of Facebook. Not only is Facebook the perfect grounds for catfights, it is also an incredible social media tool. I won’t bore you with the details (as I’m sure you’re already quite familiar) but it’s amazing how much a quick message or “poke” or “like” can make someone’s day. It shows that you’re thinking of them and it keeps you in the know as to what your far away friends are up to. Not to mention it has infiltrated our cell phones, which makes life even easier! There’s an app for that.
Another good way to keep in touch is through Skype or any other form of video chat. You can download Skype off of the Internet and use it for free. It’s great to see a familiar face every once in a while and the ability to take candid pictures of one another is fantastic. This is also great for long distance romantic relationships. Although nothing beats each other’s company it definitely helps to take the edge off until you are side by side.
Then there’s the good old-fashioned phone call. Although a text message is easier, an actual conversation is much more personal. A conversation is not limited to a certain amount of characters and shows that you made that extra effort, which a friend will appreciate. And sometimes it’s just really great to hear that familiar voice. Don’t get me wrong; I am all about text messaging. If that’s all you have time for or you have conflicting schedules then text away. Just make it a good one.
As you can see, staying in touch with the people you care about takes some effort. Sometimes it may get frustrating. You might reach out and get nothing in return. But there will be a few that are there with you throughout your entire life. Those will be the few you’ll be happy you made that effort for.
