Is it just me or does maintaining friendships after college seem to be a struggle sometimes?
I always knew that post-college life was going to be a transition. After all, paying bills, getting a job, and navigating through life without predetermined achievement markers didn’t sound easy.
But, when I graduated from college, I had no idea that my friendships would change.
Turns out, it’s a thing! After college, people start the process of figuring out who they are and what they want all over again. And, that journey takes time, work and intention.
That journey leads some people to the altar early on, marrying the love of their life. It takes others to a new city, for a new job. It takes some back to their hometown, to build something new in the place they’ve always known.
All of this change and transitioning to new seasons makes maintaining friendships after college tough.
But, there’s good news – you can still have incredible friendships after college. Here are 5 tips for maintaining friendships after college when life gets crazy.
Don’t rely on social media. Pick up the phone and call (or text).
Social media can make us feel like we’re keeping up with people with minimal effort. But, true, lasting relationships take effort.
Social media can be a great way to keep up with acquaintances and friends from different seasons of your life. But, it doesn’t cut it for keeping up with the friends you want to keep for the rest of your life.
Call them. Text them. Reach out and communicate with them outside of social media regularly. That might mean daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly.
In today’s world, going that extra mile says, “I really care about you.” Your bestie’s deserve that. Give it to them!
Make your love known.
Sometimes, life gets crazy. Between work, dating, working out, relationships, cooking, and everything in between, sometimes long periods of time can go by without talking to certain friends. In cases like these, it’s always important to make your love known.
Make sure that your close and best friends know that you love them. That way, if they don’t hear from you for a while, they aren’t tempted to think that your friendship is disintegrating, or that you’re upset with them.
When your friends feel secure in your love for them, you can let life happen and come back together without missing a beat.
Remember birthdays.
Thanks to good ol’ Facebook’s reminders, it’s now easier than ever to remember your friend’s birthdays. Sending your friends a birthday card, birthday gift, or birthday message shows them that you still care about them, and are always thinking about them.
Show up.
Showing up is key to maintaining friendships after college. Show up for their weddings. Show up when they go through a breakup. Show up for their birthday dinners. Show up for girls nights watching Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Show up for game night and wine night. When life gets crazy, sometimes, the only thing we can do is show up for our friends, be there for them, and commit to continuing to make memories with them.
When you do that, you’re bound to have some incredible adventures, phone calls, vacations, and shenanigans with one of the best things we get to experience in this life – friends.
How are you doing with maintaining friendships after college? Leave a comment and let us know!
