How to Maintain Relationships When Living on Campus at College
Published January 19th 2023
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Going off to college is an exciting event for any young person. Finally, you get to be independent and live life on your own terms. But, when you move out of state or to Canada for college, you may start to miss the people that you left behind back home. While you could always make new friends, there is no substitute for your childhood best friend or the aunt that has looked after you all your life. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to maintain your relationships with friends and family members when you are away from home.
Mark Your Calendar
Life can get very hectic in college, and you may unknowingly miss the birthday of somebody that you care about. While most people will be understanding, you do not want to run the risk of hurting anyone's feelings. The easiest way to avoid missing important events is to mark your calendar for the entire year. Set reminders for birthdays, anniversaries, and other events that are important to your friends and family. If you cannot afford to send gifts, you can always send birthday eCards or take time out to make a phone call to convey your best wishes.
Make Time for Calls
If you are living with a roommate, it can be difficult to find the time to talk to your friends and family on the phone. Having someone else listening in on your conversation is a real turn-off, so try to find a time when your roommate is out of the house to keep in touch. You can ask your roommate for their class schedule and see if there are any suitable times when you can speak to your old friends or relatives in private. In addition, you can also schedule video chat sessions so that you can stay up to date with all that is going on back home.
Use Chat Apps
Talking on the phone may be nice but some people are more comfortable sending messages via chat apps such as Snapchat. These apps make it easy for you to share snippets of your life without having to make it a whole awkward event. You can also keep track of what your other friends are doing in a casual way. This is a great option for students who are busy with homework for long hours or who have a lot of extracurricular activities to attend. However, make sure that you limit your time spent on these apps and make an actual voice call once in a while.
Host a Watch Party
Watching your favorite movies with your friends is a great alternative when you cannot hang out with them in person. You can hold watch parties on several platforms including Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Facebook. Watch parties are fun because you get to spend quality time with people who matter while watching the latest movie or your favorite team play. The bonus is that you do not have to leave the comfort of your dorm, which saves you some money as well. To make things more interesting, you can organize a game of trivia after the show!
Introduce New and Old
You will no doubt meet new people in college so why not introduce them to your old friends? Introducing new friends to people that you have known for a long time is a good way to create new connections and strengthen existing ones. It helps your new friends get a better understanding of who you are as a person and reassures your old friends that you still want them to be part of your life. If all your friends get along with each other, it will be much easier for you to stay in touch over the years. You can even invite your new friends to join you when you go home for the holidays.
Follow Their Interests
It is tempting to spend all your time talking about your interests when you are living away from home but remember that it is just as important to find common ground with the people you are talking to. The next time you talk to a friend or family member from home, ask them about their favorite hobbies, sports, books, and more. They will appreciate the effort that you have put in to remember their interests and feel closer to you. Learning more about your loved one's hobbies may even help you discover new things that you enjoy doing!
Send a Care Package
Instead of telling your loved ones about your life at college, why not send them a small package with all the things that are iconic to your new home? For example, you can send a box of cookies from a famous bakery in Canada or a cool t-shirt from the campus bookstore. If you have a bit of extra time, you could even craft some personalized items such as headbands or jewelry that will remind your friends and family of you whenever they wear them. What you send does not have to be expensive or lavish; it is the thought that counts!
College is a life-changing experience. But it is common to feel homesick, especially in the first few months. Keep in touch with your family and friends as much as possible. By maintaining your relationships, you can enjoy your time at college and fit right in when you return home.