College is a demanding time in everyone's life. From internships to excelling academically, having a social life becomes less of a priority as the years progress. While at school remaining in touch with your high school or hometown friends is extremely important.

The friends you have grown up with probably know more about you than you do. They have seen you through the awkward stages, disappointments, and successes. They know your family, and in some instances, you have even gone on vacation together.

As busy as you may feel while at school if your friends are truly your friends, they still deserve your attention. Long gone are the days of sharing classes and carpooling. Now, an effort must be made from all parties involved in order to maintain a healthy and happy relationship that is everlasting.

1. Accept that it may be difficult to know every detail of their life.

It isn't possible to know what they are doing at every second of every day. You may not even talk for days or weeks at a time. Don't let this get you down. Knowing their latest crush at school, or which class they think they're failing can wait until you're reunited.

2. Don't be jealous of their new friends.

You should want your friend to make new friends. Sure, it's weird seeing him/her constantly spending time with someone that is isn't you, but could you imagine if they weren't? They would probably be so lonely and miserable. At the end of the day all you should want for your friend is happiness and health-- making new friends helps both.

3. Keep the group chat alive

The simplest thing you can do. If you don't want to read what everyone is saying all day, that is okay. But at the end of the day, you should at least ask for a summary or reach out in it. You have five minutes to have a quick texting conversation.

4. Visit each other at school

This is obviously more challenging and requires a bit of planning. But if done properly you can leave from a weekend spent with your home friends feeling not only refreshed but also hopeful for the next time you will all be together. You're guaranteed to have so many laughs and make so many memories.

5. Social Media

Even if you don't talk all the time, seeing your friend's face is comforting and reassuring that they're alive and breathing. Consider starting a snap group chat or snap streak. We live in the age of technology, so you might as well make the most out of it.

6. Just call

Maybe you had a weird dream about your friend the previous night, or maybe you just miss their voice, whatever the case may be if you are thinking about them just pick up the phone and call. The worst that can happen is they don't answer. Even hearing their voicemail can bring comfort.

7. Write down your experiences

Journaling is said to be a great act of practicing self-love. In your journal, jot down bullet points of things that happened in your day. They aren't important enough to bother your friend who is studying 1,000 miles away now, but when you are reunited they serve as a reminder for all that you wanted to say.

8. Stay in contact with their family

You should always have a general idea of how their family is doing—even if it just following their little sibling on Instagram, or sending their mom a Happy Birthday text. Practice gratitude for your friends' family. They not only gave you a great friend but also have allowed you to eat half the food in their house.

9. Make an extra effort when you are reunited

Your time home from school is precious and goes by so fast. While you are home together go over each other's bullet points and spend countless hours together—even if it is just binge-watching "Black Mirror." Those are the moments that will eventually become less frequent.

10. Plan something big and eventful together.

My friends and I will 100% be participating in "yacht week" in 2021-ish. We are starting to save our money now and have already begun planning "our look." This is something we are already so excited to do together. But the ideas and goals you can eventually achieve together are endless.

As we grow up, we realize it is less important to have a ton of friends and more important to have real ones. Don't let your real ones slip away.