Plenty of people know how difficult a long-distance relationship can be. These typically involve two people in a romantic relationship trying to make it work while not living in the same place. What most people tend to ignore are the difficulties that can arise while trying to foster a long-distance friendship.
Long-distance friendships come in different forms. You may have a friend that you met at college and want to keep up with over summer break. You could be trying to maintain a friendship with someone who lives back home while you are away at school. You could even meet someone during a vacation or a summer camp and want to remain friends after it is over. Regardless of the circumstances, some friendships are too important to let fade away because of a silly thing like geography.
Distance won't matter if you communicate.
No friendship can flourish to its full potential without frequent communication. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to text or call one another every single day, but checking in every few days can help. Even something as simple as asking about their day, school, family, or their other friends can show them how much you care. You can even write a letter or mail them a special care package! Making communication a priority for your friendship will ensure a great relationship.
Take any chance you have to visit them.
The biggest and most obvious issue with long-distance friendships is the fact that you don't live in the same place at the same time. Unfortunately, this means that you may only be able to see one another every once in a while. Because of this, it is imperative that you take any opportunity that arises to see them. This could mean a weekend road trip, flying across the country, or even taking a vacation together. Trips like these can be tricky to plan and can get costly, but the reward outweighs the cost when you are able to spend time with your friend.
Keep up the traditions that you have together.
Many friendships are built on shared interests and a love of nurturing those interests together. These passions could include shopping together, trying new foods, watching films and television, or even studying together. When you are apart from your friend, it is almost impossible to do these things together. However, with a little effort, you can have the next best thing. Facetime or Skype when you are watching "Bachelor in Paradise" in different states. Send pictures of the clothes you try on at your favorite store or pros and cons about that new restaurant you tried. As long as you are willing to share your time with your friend, regardless of location, then you never have to give up the tradition you share.
Above all, it is crucial to realize that this type of friendship will take more effort than others.
It is easy to maintain and grow a friendship with someone that you are around constantly, it isn't so simple when the relationship relies on your commitment to communication. Just remember, it is so worth all the time and effort to keep an amazing friend.
