They buy you gifts every birthday and Christmas, but you don’t see them very often. No, not your parents! I’m taking about your old friends from college, or just friends you used to be close to, but maybe time and distance has kept you apart.
In these modern times, where we haven’t seen anybody for at least a year, we have to ask ourselves, do those people you were really good friends with in college, (but with every passing year seems to result in fewer texts and even fewer conversations), still seem to matter? It does! So you decide to have a “friends weekend” to catch up! You offer for them to stay over, as you are friends, but if you are both living two different lives, it can be quite anxiety-inducing. What does it take to make for a great time, even if you worry that you may not have much in common anymore? Read on for tips on reconnecting with an old friend after a period of time!
Embracing the Things They Like These Days
It sounds very simple, but if they were always a hardcore gamer or RPG fanatic, and are now more into it than ever, you don’t necessarily need to embrace the ins and outs of Overwatch, but you can still give them a little gift that makes them realize that you have their interests at heart. I’m a HUGE fan of K-Pop, so many of my old friends have made an effort to learn all the details about the genre, so they can relate. Got friends who like to gamble?You can very easily get a set of dice from skullsplitterdice.com. It’s always a nice little peace offering, even if it’s not something you dabble in.
Differences Don’t Have to Be Bad
If your friend is someone who you have been buds with for 20 years, you’ve got a bond that is strong, despite all the differences. People grow apart, but when they come back together, they realize why they were so close despite being different now. But the fact is that if you are both living different lives, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It makes life a lot more interesting, and can use this as an opportunity to get a feel for something out of your norm. No matter their lifestyle, if they fulfill your life in certain ways, they will still have a special place in your heart. A great article on verywellmind.com site discusses six reasons friends should be friends, and the general idea is that friends should add to your mental and emotional health. If they don’t fulfill your life, why are they there? But if they do, and you are concerned about the differences, this is the perfect opportunity to to learn about each other all over again.
What If You Are Too Different?
Sometimes people grow apart, and they have different desires. For example, if you have children but they don’t, it’s one of those things that can create a massive chasm in your friendship. But: this is where you both have a history to lean on. You have precious memories, but the important thing is not to keep reliving them. Some people get stuck in the past, and your friend may feel this is all all you have together. And, no doubt, you had amazing times together, and it’s nice to relive them for a short period of time, but this is a person that is a reminder that you were a different person to who you are now. Sometimes, these people are best kept at a distance. It’s always nice to relive the past, but remember that you are a different person now.
