8 Things That Happen When a Close Friend Moves Away
Parting is such sweet sorrow—it really is.
When a close friend moves away, we are left with a little hole in our hearts and a big piece of our life missing.
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But unfortunately, close friends moving away is a sad reality that everyone will experience at some point.
As people who have been separated from many friends due to distance, we can break down the honest truths about what you can expect when this happens.
1. You Will Initially Vow to Talk or Text All the Time
With emotions running high, you and your pal vow to never miss a beat in each other's lives! Whether it's texting all through the day, calling at night or emailing during class, you both express that nothing will keep you from staying in touch at all times.
2. For the First Week They're Gone, You'll Talk and Text About How Much You Miss Each Other
That first week following their move is a crucial one. You are still adjusting to them not being around and they tell you how much they miss you, too. You will call and text nonstop and expect for this to continue from here on out.
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3. After the Second Week, You'll Already Lessen the Amount of Time You Talk
As adamant as you both are about chatting on the reg, it's simply inevitable that new lifestyles will keep you from being in on every last detail of each other's lives. Granted, it's nothing personal, but it's just a fact that life gets in the way and while this person still adores you, it's natural for them to start settling into their new environment, lessening you as a priority.
4. They Will Change a Bit Based on Their New Environment
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the person who moves will change based on factors of their new dwellings. New friends, new crushes, new surroundings, new teachers and new experiences will all contribute to the change. Much of the time, a fresh start can be beneficial to a person, allowing them to grow in new, positive ways.
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5. They'll Make a New Group of Friends
Obviously being in new classes with a whole crop of fresh folks will certainly create different friend groups for your pal. Whether it's a group of the person they are dating or some new friends from school, it's totally normal and expected that your friend makes new friends (but that doesn't mean they won't keep the old).
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6. You Will Plan an Exciting Visit to See Them or Vice Versa
The one perk of a friend moving away? Getting to visit them in their new habitat—or on that same token, getting to have them stay with you and going back to all your original haunts. Old friend visits are the best, so be sure to plan one during summer or winter break, or if they live close enough, even a three-day weekend.
7. You'll Feel Like You've Drifted a Bit, But You'll Pick Right Up From Where You Left Off When You See Them
When you're no longer up on every detail of a close pal's life, it's easy to feel out of the loop. But the good news is usually once you guys reunite, it'll feel like nothing's changed. Don't worry, you'll be caught up on all the goss in no time!
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8. The Distance and Change May Cause You to Outgrow Each Other Over Time
When we're young, we are constantly evolving and finding new interests and new friends. It's not uncommon for once-close friends to eventually drift apart due to the combination of distance and growth. It's never fun when that happens, but throughout the course of your life, you'll go through many friendships and some may last longer than others. Try not to get too down on yourself if you feel like you and an old pal no longer share the common bond you once did. Again, it's nothing personal, it's just life. You'll make plenty other friends over time.
Planning to have an old pal visit from out of town? Check out THESE tips for making their visit run smoothly!