Senior Files: The LD(BFF)R

Another week has passed and I’m one week closer to graduation. In ten short days I will stand up, toss my cap in the air, and graduate in front of family, friends, professors…and a bunch of random people I don’t know.

By Kim

Many of you have already taken this step. You’ve cried sentimental tears or jumped for joy as you packed up boxes and drove away from your home for the past few years. But if you have the pleasure of a quarter or trimester system you, like me, are lucky enough to have a smidgen of time left.

A lot of people have been worrying about the typical things that soon to be grads and recent grads worry about: getting a job, finding an apartment, moving, paying bills, insurance, liver recovery, taxes. I am stressed and concerned about all of these things. But I’m also stressed about some basic issues I haven’t considered until recently, like friendships.

For many grads, we’ll be moving away from the network of friends we’ve created over the past four years. For me, I will be moving clear across the country and my insecurities are rising. All my friendships are about to change and come June 14, I will be in a Long Distance (Best Friend Forever) Relationship.

I’ve met people and created friendships that I never thought I’d make during college. I realize it’s a cliché to stay that “college is the best four years of your life”, but because of the people I’ve met here, I actually believe in it. And now I am afraid of losing all the people and friendships I’ve become so close to.

I know, I know – thanks to the world of social networking I’ll probably know what my friends are doing (in great detail) on a day to day basis. Technology certainly has made life easier for us. Unlike our parents’ generation, we won’t have to deal with separation as much. We won’t have to write letters or track each other down in phone books anymore if we lose touch. We can just Google each other.

But computers and the internet can’t substitute friends. Some critics say that social networking can improve friendships as people feel more connected and involved in other people’s lives. They know each other’s whereabouts and recent activities. But others say social networking is too superficial to create lasting bonds and actually leads to fewer deep friendships. People don’t feel the need to reach out as much and actually continue a friendship with someone because they feel that they already are connected.

And here I am, listening to depressing John Mayer music and sifting through my thousands of college pictures wondering if emails and texts and Facebook updates are going to be enough. I’m nervous and scared and sad about my friendships I made during college and how they will be once it’s over.

Once the geography changes… will the friendships change too?

Are you worried about keeping in touch with friends after college?