The semester is over, and the stress has finally been lifted off our shoulders.

It’s time to go home, spend time with family, go on vacation, and relax until the fall rolls back around. Only problem… leaving your friends, and the connections you made over the school year. I especially struggle with this one. I’m from Virginia, and most of my friends are from Alabama, Georgia, or Florida. When I go home for the summer, I often miss my friends a lot, and communication tends to fall off until we come back to school. However, I don’t want that to happen again this summer, so here are some tips to stay connected with friends over the summer!

FaceTime Calls

FaceTime is an amazing way to stay connected with your friends! Who doesn’t love a good weekend debrief? Make sure to call each other when everyone is free and talk about what’s been happening in each of your lives so you can keep up with all the lore!

Saving up to Travel

Whether it’s a good ol’ road trip or taking a flight somewhere, plan a trip with each other and start saving up early for it! You can plan a trip to come back to Auburn during the summer if your friends live here year-round like mine do, or you can plan a trip to NYC, Florida, or wherever your heart desires!

Virtually watch movies or play video games

Schedule a time when you can all watch a movie together on FaceTime or on websites like Discord where you can stream your computer screen! Playing video games with each other is also a fun idea, whether it’s Fortnite on your Xbox or PS5, maybe even Roblox! Who doesn’t love a good Roblox horror game?

Keeping each other in the loop

Going back to weekend debriefs, there are still ways to keep in touch with friends, even if you’re not actively FaceTiming them. Stay connected with them on social media by liking, and commenting on their posts or sharing funny videos that remind you of them. It lets your friends know that you’re still there and thinking about them even if you aren’t a part of their everyday lives right now.

As much as we all love summer vacation, sometimes we get sad because it can take us away from our best friends. You don’t have to fall off with each other though! The distance only makes friendships and relationships stronger when handled well! Summer vacation is on the way, so finish this semester strong and…

Be Well, Auburn.