Best friends are so important that they’re on a completely different level; you may get busy and go an entire month without talking to a friend, but you probably wouldn’t go a whole month without talking to your bestie. When your BFFs live hundreds of miles away, it presents an entirely new challenge. Here are some foolproof ways to keep your connection going strong despite the distance.
- Let them know when you think of them. Even if you’re really busy, take a couple minutes to send a quick text or picture when you see or think of something that reminds you of your bestie. Though you may be physically far away, you’ll still be as close as you always were spiritually.
- Maintain your traditions. If you’ve always spent Christmas together, don’t let that fall by the wayside just because of distance. Send packages to each other and FaceTime while you open them if you can’t make the trip that year, and then make plans for your next visit.
- Visit each other as often as possible. It’s not lame to go on vacation to the same place year after year, especially if it’s for the purpose of seeing someone special. Whether you’re traveling to your hometown or a faraway city to visit, all that matters is the time you’ll get to spend with your BFF, hanging out together the way you used to.
- Keep them involved in the little details of your life. Whether it’s a new outfit, new job prospect, or a new crush, keep your BFF updated on the details of your life they’ve always been privileged enough to know. After all, that’s what besties are for.
- Don’t stop asking for their advice. Your best friend knows you better than most people, so their advice is always going to be relevant, even if they haven’t met the guy in question or aren’t experts on your professional field. They’ll always have your best interest at heart, so you should never stop going to them for advice even when you’re far away.
- Bring them up in conversation with your new friends. Of course you’ll both inevitably make new friends in your respective cities, but that doesn’t mean your BFF can’t be a part of that new friend group. Tell your new friends some of your best stories about the two of you. Then, when you’re reunited, you can introduce them to everyone.
- Keep photos around your home to remind you of them. It’s not as if you’d actually forget, but it’s nice when you walk in from a long day of work and see photos of the ones you love most. It keeps your heart close to home even when you can’t be.
- Stay close on social media. It’s not possible to grow apart when you’re seeing and being tagged in each other’s posts regularly. Social media has been really helpful in keeping people connected from far away, so use it to your advantage.
- Make them feel special on their birthday. You may not be able to visit, but you can send gifts, order food deliveries, and call or Facetime. It’s fun to plan surprises, and your bestie will be thrilled that you put in the effort to make them feel so special.
- Plan a reunion “party” every time you’ve arranged travel to see one another. Even if your ideal evening together is watching The Notebook for the 30th time while killing a pizza and a couple bottles of wine, rock that stuff BFF-style. If others think that’s lame, their opinions really don’t matter. Also, be prepared for the biggest hug ever when you see them for the first time in months; you won’t want to ever let go.