At some point in all of our lives, someone we love will move away. Some of our people will move one town over and just go to a different high school, and some others will move across the country. No matter how close or far your person moves away, there are a few things you should do about it.
Be a little sad.
We’re all allowed to be a little sad when our best friend moves away. I mean, come on, it is your best friend. They will no longer be five minutes away right when you need them. But the key word here is “little.” You shouldn’t be so sad that people start to worry. In today’s world of technology, no matter how far away your best friend is geographically, they really aren’t that far away at all.
Be a little excited for them.
As sad as you are that your friend is leaving, they are probably way more sad than you are. Your friend is the one that is moving to a whole new place with all new people, not you. Since they are probably terrified, you should be excited for them. Be excited for their new adventures, the new friends they will make, the new life they will build. If you’re excited for them, then they will start to be more excited than they are scared.
Visit them!
This one can be kind of hard depending on your age and/or how far away they move. If your favorite person moves just a couple of cities/towns away, this one won’t really be that hard, since they are just a short car ride away. But, if your best friend moves across the country or to a different country altogether, it can be a little tricky. But, if you have the opportunity and means to do so, definitely visit them. Your friend will appreciate a little piece of “home” coming to them, and you will get a small vacation as well as a glimpse into your best friend’s new home and life.
I did just this not long ago. My best friend since sixth grade moved from our small Texas hometown to Nashville, Tenn. To be fair, I moved away to college first… But Austin to Nashville is still 862 miles apart. That was 852 miles too far for comfort for the both of us. So, as soon as I finished school for the semester, I hopped on a plane and went to her. The few short days that I got to spend with her in her new apartment were great. I got to experience a new city and see all of the things that she loves so much about Nashville that caused her to make the big move.
(My person and I in Nashville.)
Talk to them frequently.
Just because your BFF moves away doesn’t mean that you have to go ghost on each other. Frequent communication will definitely make the transition easier for the both of you, rather than harder. Block out time and schedule weekly or biweekly FaceTime/phone call dates. You may worry that this will make you miss them more, but it will just give you a chance to catch up and feel like you’ve spent some time together, even if you weren’t physically together.
Mail them letters/cards/notes.
This one definitely goes hand in hand with the last one. Communication is key if you want to keep your friendship just as close as it was when you were able to see one another every day. And, unlike a phone call, a card that you write and mail to them will give them something tangible to remind them of you whenever they may need a piece of home.
No matter if your best friend moves only an hour away for college, or 862 miles away to pursue their dream of being a musician, it can be hard for the both of you. But I promise, there are so many things that you can do to keep your friendship alive and well. Like they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder.
