Whether you go to different colleges, one of you has moved away, or a job has taken them states from you, staying in touch with old friends seems to get harder the longer you're separated.
You can only do so much if you can't travel to them. FaceTime, Skype, Snapchat and text messaging are the obvious few solutions for you to maintain contact. However, it doesn't feel the same. Somehow, the phone calls only feel more distant. The fear that you'll stop talking for good becomes very present with every moment of "comfortable silence".
So what can you do?
You love this person with all your heart and can't imagine never seeing or talking to them again. They've been such a positive force in your life for so long that letting distance become your friendship's murderer seems like a poor excuse. You can't let the miles pull you apart more than it already has. What can fix this problem?
You can make plans. You can devise a plan to visit certain weekends or on breaks in your academic schedule, depending on the distance. Not every weekend, but it's the effort that counts. Plan to do fun things whether you're going to them or they're coming to you. Go see that movie you all have been talking about for weeks, go to dinner and catch up, or go to your favorite team's game that day. The possibilities are endless.
But... What if you still try to make things work, but to little or no avail? What if you can't get to them? What if every time you try to plan things, they end up forgotten or unattainable?
Well, you can try to stay connected socially, as I said before (you know, if Net Neutrality doesn't pass). But, if that empty feeling keeps creeping up on you, tell your friend. Honesty is the best policy, and it lets them know that you're concerned with the potential state of your friendship.
Or, you can leave it to chance. Long-distance friendships are a lot like long-distance relationships. If it can survive distance, then your friendship was meant to outlast anything. But, if you let it fall victim to distance, then was the friendship as strong as you thought?
Sometimes friendships fade. But it's how strong the people are in that friendship that makes it persevere. As individuals, it's the effort you put into it. If your bond really means a lot to you, don't let that die. Do what you can, and never lose hope.
If you try hard enough, you'll always have that person at the ready when you need them. There will always be late nights when neither of you can sleep, bored phone calls in between classes, or a sudden need for advice. If it's meant to last, it will last, and it is up to you if it will.
