5 Ways To Stay Close With College Friends When Life Keeps Getting In The Way

It sucks, but it happens to everyone. Four years are spent with people you never met before, and suddenly, you're standing at graduation with a group of people you don't know how to live without.

What started as a passing 'hello' grew into an inescapable relationship you're terrified to leave behind.

Luckily, with modern advances in technology, it's easy to keep in contact with everyone you love. Whether it be parents, siblings or your college best friends, with a few clicks of a button, you can see and hear from most people in your life.

However, like most story book romances, there comes a time when even though you and your college best friends promised you would never leave each other, you guys start gradually growing apart.

It reaches a point where you only talk once a month, then maybe twice a year and soon, you only hear from them for a holiday card.

Luckily, there are a few ways to combat that long and heartbreaking dissolve.

1. Plan group outings.

It might seem silly to plan your weekly happy hour a month in advance, but once life takes over, sometimes it's hard to stick to your old habits.

You used to have four nights per week, totally free. Now you're lucky if you get an hour. Plan for a bunch of your friends to meet up far in advance, so you can see everyone at once and catch up. They'll all be thankful you took the initiative.

This way, you only have to make time for one outing. And once it's on your calendar, you'll be far less likely to back out.

2. Check in once in awhile.

If you haven't seen someone in a while, just ask how they are. When time passes like that, you may have missed out on small-but-awesome things.

Things of this nature include a new SO or pet that they'd love to share. These milestones are important, but not necessarily social-media worthy.

You can also check Facebook to see if there's anything you would want to chat about and send them a quick note. They'll love that you're checking on them.

3. Use Skype and FaceTime.

Skype and FaceTime are godsends for any college best friends who aren't in the same state. When you would normally be hanging out talking about life, you're suddenly hours and hours away.

Although it's not the same, you can at least get a sense of the other person's surroundings.

4. Send things that remind you of your old times.

Ever walk through a store and see something that reminds you of your college friend?

Come across a dress similar to the one your friend did her legendary walk of shame in? See a bottle of the cheap alcohol you used to pregame the night you all can't remember? Send it to the group chat.

They'll love that even after all this time, you still keep them in the back of your mind. Bonus points if it's something stupid they did while drunk.

5. Keep each other updated.

When something major happens in your life, let them know. When you get a promotion or your sibling has a baby, keep them involved by sending them updates on how everything is going.

Even if you haven't talked in awhile, they'll still be so excited to hear how your life is progressing.

People will always get distracted by other things in life, and gradually drift away. It's not fun, but you want to believe they're happy and successful even when you're not around.

The beauty of college friends is that even when you move away from each other, your relationship stays with you.

People naturally drift apart, but it's easy to stay connected and keep each other in the loop. Everyone involved will appreciate your efforts.

Keep your college friends involved in your life and you'll never truly be alone.