If you thought long-distance relationships were tough with a significant other, long-distant friendships aren’t much easier. The struggles of having a best friend halfway across the country can make you feel alone and scared the special connection you have & cherish will fade.

1. You Fear The Distance will affect Your Personal Connection With Your Bestie

Everything is so much easier when your partner-in-crime is right at your side. You see them every day, tell them all about your day, and you feel closer with them than ever when you’re able to spend hours on end together at a time. When you live in a completely different state than them, the connection grows weaker. You start to fear the friendship will disappear completely since you both have your own agendas and lives to live.

Try and call them as much as possible, write them letters, and do whatever you can to let them know you’re thinking about them on the daily. Update them on your day whenever you can, and ask them how their day is are going.

2. Texting Isn’t The Same

When you have the luxury of seeing your best friend on any given day, texting them in between the daily hangout session is no big deal. But when you’re hundreds or thousands of miles away from them, texting them seems to be for the sole purpose of trying to keep the friendship alive.

Everything you would tell them in person has to be typed out into text, and it just isn’t the same. You can’t at the spur of the moment text them to meet up for lunch. You can’t rant to them about your day at work while wandering through an art supplies store and bonding over every art item you see. You feel like your way of “catching up” is through a lifeless, typed out message. While phone calls and hand-written letters still won’t live up to goofing around with them in person every day, it’s still a more thoughtful and personal way to keep in touch.

3. Everything Reminds You Of Them

When you’re apart from your best friend for too long, everything you see will remind you of them. “Oh, she’d love this movie”, you might say to yourself at the theater with your family. “This meme would crack her up”, you laugh to yourself while scrolling through Facebook. “Ketchup is her favorite..she’d be thrilled right now”, you might say once you reach the ketchup aisle at the grocery store. Even the smallest, silliest, most insignificant things remind you of them. It hurts to not have them right there at your side. While they might not be right there with you, you can always send them an email, call them, or FaceTime with them to let them know they’re on your mind. It’ll brighten both of your days!

4. Nothing Seems As Fun As When They’re With You

Eating at their favorite diner isn’t as fun with other friends. Watching your go-to show isn’t as enjoyable without him/her next to you to discuss the show aftermath. Sitting at the kitchen table and drawing doesn’t have the same affect as their critique and compliments. You may feel lonely at times, but it’s important to remember even though they’re far away, you still hold a special place in their heart. The two of you know that despite the distance, your incredible bond is still going strong, and it’s still impenetrable.

Whether your best friend lives two hours or two hundred hours away from you, the memories you’ve made and the bond you’ve built will always remain. Just know that sooner or later, you’ll have the opportunity to meet up with them again, and when you do, it’ll be as if you’ve never been away from them at all. That’s how you know your friendship is legit.