From halls to group chats: stay in touch with each other

Countless hours of studying, socialising and celebrating have flown by, and it can feel like a big jump to not seeing your uni mates every day. But that doesn't mean you can't maintain a friendship with them! 

Here are a few ways to stay in touch with friends and never miss an update:

Little connections 🩷

You don't need to have a 2-hour phone call every other day to maintain a friendship. Doing small, little things like daily check-ins keeps you in each other's lives just as much as long FaceTimes.

• Share playlists: Create a Spotify playlist together of your favourite songs. You can even make a 'blend' playlist together that combines what you're both currently listening to.
• Low-pressure voice notes: Send quick updates and check-ins to each other when you're making your morning coffee or getting ready for the day. 
• Share content: As well as making a shared playlist, don't forget to keep sharing funny reels and TikToks! Something that can make you both laugh when you're missing each other.

Make new traditions 🍿

If your hometowns are quite far apart, try making digital traditions instead!

• Virtual dinner: Cook your favourite meals together on FaceTime and have a catch-up over dinner like the good old days! 
• Gaming nights: Start a Discord together and play your favourite games, or try some new ones and have a laugh.
• 'Body-double' each other: If one of you would usually sit on the others bed and watch them clean, then FaceTime each other when you're doing some tasks around the house or a bit of 'life-admin'. You'll feel more motivated to do chores, and you can have a catch-up at the same time.
• Movie nights: If you're used to winding down with a movie together or a TV show, then this is perfect for you. Press play at the same time, grab your favourite snacks, and you could make it a weekly tradition.

Little reminders of student life 🖼️

While you might not see them every day when you move home, you could do little things that remind you of them and that keep the memories of your student house alive!

• Recipes: Cook the same meals you used to make together in halls, even the ones that went wrong. You can send them a picture and say, "Remember this?" You could even make a recipe book of your iconic student meals on a budget.
• Photos: Make a collection of your favourite photos from your student life and create a collage on your bedroom wall. You could even get some fairy lights to add to the aesthetic. Having photos up might make you feel closer to your uni mates when you're missing them, and if you've got family or home friends coming over, you can go through each silly photo.

Remember that not everyone will be great at keeping in touch, but that's nothing personal. Moving back home can mean different things for people. Some might be going back to full-time jobs, and some might be spending more time with family. So don't sit and overthink it, use these small gestures to keep the connection going.