How to Keep in Touch with Friends from High School

While college often leads to a new city, a new school, and new friends, your new college life doesnt have to come at the expense of your high school friends. But how exactly can you keep in touch with your friends from high school when youre busy managing all that college has to offer? Use Social Media Things like Facebook and Twitter are likely already a part of your social life. As you transition from high school to college, using social media to keep your friends updated -- and to stay updated about them -- can shift from something of interest to something important for your friendship. With a little work, you can stay informed about relationship updates, school changes, and the overall ups and downs of your friends lives. Use the Phone and Video Chat Using tools like Facebook can be great -- but they are often a rather passive way of keeping in touch with someone. Sure, a friends status update may say one thing, but a heart-to-heart chat on the phone can tell you so much more. While they dont have to happen frequently, phone calls and video chats can be an important part of how you keep in touch with your high school friends. Use IM You really need to finish your paper but your brain needs a break. That being said, you dont necessarily have the time for a phone call or video chat. The solution? Consider a quick IM conversation with one of your high school friends. You can give your brain a break while also checking in with a friend. Consider it a win-win situation (as long as you get back to your paper within a few minutes, of course). Use Email You may be used to communicating via text messages, IM, and video chat, but email can also be a great tool. When its 3:00 in the morning and you need something to do to shift your brain from your Shakespeare paper to sleep mode, consider spending a few minutes drafting an email to an old high school friend. Update them about your own college life while asking for the latest news on their end. Meet Up Whenever Possible ​No matter how great technology is, theres just nothing like a face-to-face meeting. Meeting up in person is important if youd like to maintain your high school relationships both during and after college. Remember, too, that you can meet up in all kinds of places: back in your hometown, at your campus, at your friends campus, or even somewhere fun you both have always wanted to go. (Vegas, anyone?)