2. If you think of them, act on it!
As I’m going about my day, I might see something that reminds me of one of my friends and think “I wonder what she has been up to.” Instead of letting that thought pass, if I have a moment, I act on it. This can be as easy as shooting over a quick text, giving her a call, or even picking up a card to put in the mail.
We often feel like we already know what our friends are doing because we’ve commented on their posts on Facebook or Instagram, but we all know that our social-selves represent only the small sliver of our lives we want the world to see. Calling or texting provides the personal touch needed to sustain a more meaningful level of friendship, and provides the opportunity to open up about more private matters they could use your morale support or advice on – and vice versa. Additionally, while sending snail mail, such as a birthday card or present, takes more time and foresight, doing so provides a great tangible reminder of the great times you had together.
3. Create a Chat Group
If you’re lucky to have a group of tight-knit military girlfriends, group chats are sometimes the best way to stay in touch with all of them. Since everyone in our group has iPhones, we created an iMessage group, but Whatsapp is a great option for group chats as well. On the group chat we can send out updates, coordinate schedules for Skype dates and send photos without having to message each person individually. It keeps not only the individual friendships alive, but also maintains that feeling of community and cohesiveness that we so loved about being at our battalion together.
