How To Keep Long-Distance Friendships Alive

Last month I traveled to Lagos, Nigeria for Christmas break. This was a big deal for a lot of reasons; the biggest one being that it was my first time back in my home country after seven years. As you can imagine, I felt a deep sense of gratitude and excitement throughout my stay. I also felt a great sense of determination because I had resolved to do two things while in Lagos: 

1. Enjoy quality time with my family.
2. Reunite with as many friends as possible.

I’m happy to report that I succeeded at both!

As I spent time with each of my friends, we found ourselves amazed at how we managed to maintain a long-distance friendship for close to a decade. It’s not an easy feat, especially if you consider all the friendships that have fizzled out even with both parties in the same vicinity. 

The Key to Long-Distance Friendships

So what exactly is the key to keeping a long-distance friendship alive? I think it depends on the people and the type of friendship. Some people need frequent communication to keep a friendship going. For them, it’s “out of sight, out of mind.” Others value dependability. Frequent communication may not matter to them, but they want to be assured that their friend will be there for them when necessary. I’ve only given two categories, but I’m certain there are a lot more.

Personally, I value quality time in my friendships, especially the long-distance ones. What does this mean? It means that even though I only FaceTime some of my friends a handful of times a year (thank God for technology), those calls usually last at least 2 hours long and cover any and every topic. It means that whenever I communicate with my friends, I try my best to be as present and sincere as possible. I want them to know that I care about them and their wellbeing. I root for the success of each of my friends and I know they’re rooting for mine too. Maintaining relationships isn’t easy but it’s possible, and ultimately very rewarding.

How do you feel about long-distance friendships? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!