No matter how you look at it, moving long distance can be a truly demanding ordeal for all participants in the house moving process. Long distance moves have proven to be tough on the moving budget due to the exponential correlation between distance and price – the greater the distance, the higher the total relocation cost. Also, the long and exhausting moving preparations surely take its toll on the body and tend to drain physical stamina like a phone left without a charger. And finally, long distance relocation is known to be rather testing for the mind as well, for people on the move are often forced to leave behind the ones they love and the things that gave them comfort.
Yes, moving to another city far away from home can be a hard pill to swallow, but the long distance move alone is not a good reason to put an end to meaningful friendships. Today, keeping in touch with family and friends has never been easier, and the Digital Age offers us plenty of inexpensive and even free options to stay close to the persons who have meant and still mean so much to us.
Traditional ways to keep in touch with friends after moving
Regardless of whether you embrace the cutting edge technology and can’t imagine a single day without your high-tech gadgets, the following two most popular traditional methods of communicating across long distances do not seem to be losing ground at all. In fact, many consider them to be the only true ways of keeping in touch with friends after moving.
Talk on the phone
We’ve come a long way since Alexander Graham Bell spoke the memorable words, “Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you.” And still, hearing an old friend’s voice over the phone can make your heart skip a beat or two with joy. A simple “What’s up?” from your best friend can sometimes mean the world to you, especially when you just moved into a strange and unknown home in a new and unfamiliar city.
Long distance phone calls don’t have to be overly expensive. If talking on the phone is your preferred way to keep in touch with your old friends, then you are encouraged to ask your service provider about affordable plans which you can take advantage of and still keep the phone bills from undesirable spikes. Instead of just making empty promises to talk with your closest friends back home, why don’t you schedule weekly appointments when you can catch up with each other’s current state of affairs? Fridays at 8 pm?
Exchange letters or postcards
Writing real letters to stay in touch with long distance friends still remains the most touching and romantic method of communication, and will probably remain such for many more years to come. You get to touch the paper that your dear friend held, you get to see their distinctive handwriting and you surely get to feel the power and impact of each written word. Knowing that the other person took the time and effort to prepare and write the letter you’re holding makes this type of long distance communication even more special.
Sending postcards to your loved ones back home is another interesting and creative way of keeping in touch with friends after moving long distance to another city in another state. It’s quicker than writing a letter (the space on the back of the postcard is rather limited and the goal is to seek maximum impact with minimum number of words) and it’s more fun at the same time (you can select the visual image that you think your friend will enjoy the most).
Modern ways to stay in touch with friends when you move
As mentioned above, the Information Age that we currently find ourselves in presents many options to exchange information with your long distance family and friends at little or no cost at all.
Apart from being rather slow to reach the person they are meant to, sometimes real letters (yes, we mean folded pages, envelope, stamps) may never reach their destination for various reasons. Email solves these two distinctive disadvantages of snail mail by being super fast and reliable. If you still haven’t opened an e-mail account with a major e-mail provider or you haven’t used yours in a long time, your long distance move to another state and the following adaptation period is the perfect time to feel or relive the joy of emailing with your dear friends.
Chat or video conferencing programs
Instant messaging or video conferencing programs are another great way to keep in touch with friends when you move. All you need is a program such as Skype and a good Internet connection and you can chat with or speak with your buddies while seeing their familiar faces regardless of the distance between you. Skype-to-Skype calls are free of charge, so you are liberated to enjoy your friendly conversation for as long as you wish without having to visualize any dollar signs in the back of your head.
Social networks
Right now social networks are the preferred way of keeping in touch with your family and friends after moving to another part of the country. It’s fun to share your thoughts on something or post your relocation photos on Facebook or Twitter, and observe your friends’ reaction and read their witty comments in regard to your latest status update. You may find it a bit perplexing that your networked friends like your comment about how exhausted you are from all that unpacking, but still, sharing is FUN.
thank you sooo much for this article, I live in new your and I am moving to Chicago after the quarantine. I am 10 years old and almost 11. I have lived here my whole life and I like this article because I will want to keep in close touch with my friends like a kid named Malachi and I will really miss him. Thank you sooo sooo much for this article.
– Teddy