Unfortunately, the feeling of anguish when you say goodbye to your friends before driving away never subsides. You know that you won’t see them for several months, and when you finally reunite, you fear that things won’t be the same. What if they find better friends in college? What if you’re pushed to the sideline and completely forgotten? Before you say that final goodbye, remember to tell your hometown friends a few key things.
1. I won’t forget you.
While this may happen occasionally, you have to have confidence if you want to make the long-distance relationship work. It’s not easy going to separate schools and being apart for a while, but you should know that as soon as you return, they will be anxiously waiting at your doorstep.
2. I will visit you at college.
This experience is just as important to them as it is to you. Make sure that the two of you have plans to visit each other’s colleges so that you can spend more time with them and get to know the people and place where they will be living. This way, you can not only be connected with their old high school life, but their new college life as well.
3. I am here when you need me.
College life can be stressful, to say the least. Make sure that your friend knows that she can count on you, even if you are hundreds of miles away, to talk you through any crisis. Sometimes all they need to hear is a familiar voice of encouragement. Homesickness can be an issue for the first couple of months, so it’s nice to know that your old friend is still by your side.
4. You can tell me anything.
If you have the urge to vent, but don’t know who’s trustworthy, remember that you always have your hometown friend. Even though they might not know who you are talking about, they are still always available to listen. Not only that, but they are a great person to get advice from and will remind you to keep your head screwed on straight. Because they’ve practically grown up with you, they will always know you better than your college friends will. Keep them in mind when you need someone’s unbiased opinion.
5. We need to get together over winter break.
Winter break will come faster than you expect, so make sure you have set aside at least a few hours to reunite with your best friend. Pick a place to sit down and spill everything that happened over the past semester. This may take a while, but it will be worth it because you will get to finally talk with the person who’s been on your mind ever since the semester began.
No matter how intimidating the four months of separation may feel, just remember that the two of you will always remain inseparable. Besides, you’ve already planned to be in each other’s weddings, so you can’t bail now. Truthfully, your hometown friend knows who you really are and will always respect you as a person. They will never disappear completely from your life. You’ve shared so many memories over the years, and even though you two are going separate ways for the first time, that doesn’t mean that anything between you is going to change. You will always be there for each other, no matter what happens.
And one more piece of advice. As Peter Pan always said, "Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting."
