It’s possible to retain friends outside of the Vanderbubble

I graduated high school with my two best friends by my side, both of whom I had known since we were in diapers. Realizing we were about to live the next four years of our lives thousands of miles apart, the separation anxiety started to set in.

Of course we promised each other we’d stay “best friends forever”, but there was always a little doubt in the back of my mind that once I was off in Tennessee (still so random), we’d lose touch over time. However, thanks to constant communication, we’re as close as ever. Here are some tips of the trade for keeping up your long distance friendships.

Snapchat

Doesn’t have to be funny. Doesn’t have to be cute. Sometimes I literally ask my friends to send me a picture of their location so I know where they are in this world. Yes, we are very codependent.

One of my friends and I have a 110 day snapchat streak that we take pretty seriously. She has seen my face in ever single Snapchat filter imaginable, even the weird robot ones. Since I got to college and left the season-less California I am obsessed with sending my friends snapchats with the weather on them. It’s a badge of honor to have survived anything below 60°F. Sometimes I even change it to Celsius, just so it’ll look more impressive.

(None of my friends allowed me to use their snapchat screenshots here. Their exact words: “I would shun you. Like I’m not kidding, I would probably sue you.”)

This snap is #blurry, yet #informative

Group message

I try to text my two best friends at least once a day in our group chat, often with the most mundane conversation topics imaginable. It keeps my friends in tune with my stream of consciousness, which is very important.

If anything mildly exciting happens in my friends’ lives I need to hear about it within seconds. If they go on a job interview: I want to hear about it. If they get a bad grade on a test: I want to hear about it. If they have a good sandwich for lunch: I want to hear about it and I want to know what was in that sandwich.

Was it from a nationwide chain? Can I get one too?

I was curious

My friend sent us a picture of the outfit she was wearing to an interview and we were feelin’ it

Skype

Texts and snaps are fun and all but there’s nothing like a good ol’ fashioned video chat. There’s just something about seeing their face move at the same time you hear the sound of their voice, ya know?

I don’t Skype with my friends nearly as often as I should since it’s kind of a big production. You have to set your laptop up, thump the keyboard with your fat fingers, wait for them to get online, and then you have to press the little phone icon and wait for them to pick up like its 2003.

BUT, when we do Skype, it’s always amazing and a great chance to have a two hour catch up about every single thing that has occurred in their lives since we last talked.

Did I mention we are very codependent?

Awww, they’re so cute when they try to anchor down :’)

Phone calls

I know. Phone calls are scary. Before college I used to get severe anxiety whenever someone called me. I’d quake in fear whenever my mom was on the phone with a distant relative, knowing that any moment she could turn on me. But when I got to college I knew I’d have to grow up and get over it. That didn’t happen without some hiccups, however.

One time my friend called me without texting to warn me first and I almost had to delete her contact info. We worked through it though, no worries. Now me and my best friend have a standing phone call date every Sunday afternoon. It helps me get ready for the upcoming week and I like being able to vent to someone who doesn’t know any of the people I’m talking about and will always take my side and tell me that I’m never wrong.

Make sure to take time zones into account when planning your calls…CST has burned me before

Group Finsta

A finsta is that nice little corner of the social media world where you can show the truest version of yourself. My hometown best friends and I have a shared one just for us where we post our strangest pictures and most unnerving captions.

Just make sure you’re logged into your fake account before you post…. even the savviest ‘grammers have made this mistake before. A group finsta is a great place to post your faceinhole.com adventures, keep up inside jokes and reminisce on your socially unacceptable #tbts.

Our Instagram aesthetic has been described as “Trey Songz meets angsty 13 year-old girl”

Snail mail

Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t remember how to hold a pen. I’m a millennial!” But sending a letter (or an edible fruit arrangement if you feel like they might be lacking in Vitamin BFF) is a sweet way to tell someone that you were thinking of them 3-5 days ago.

I like to send my friends letters to congratulate them on an accomplishment, when a special holiday comes around or when I walk past the card section in CVS and a picture of a monkey with a speech bubble pops out at me. My philosophy with snail mail is the more unsettling the card, the more touching the gesture.

The card I sent my friend for Galentine’s Day: no she is not a guy, yes she found this strange

If after you’ve finished reading this you think, “wow, it looks like this girl only has two friends,” then you’re 100% correct. #keepingmycirclessmall