Keeping in touch with friends over the Christmas break.

With the sudden influx of decorations and bright lights, Christmas is fast approaching and shortly all students at the University of Lincoln will be scattered all over the country. Distance and different schedules can make it harder to communicate with friends whilst you’re back at home, leaving most students feeling lonely and distant from their university peers. But it’s nothing to worry about! There’s many different ways to stay up to date with friends whilst still enjoying the Christmas chaos amongst family.

Christmas Cards

Although it may seem a little corny or old-fashioned; get the Christmas spirit flowing and write each other Christmas cards! It’s the perfect holiday way to fill your friends in on what you’ve been up to whilst you’re apart and tell them all the holiday gossip. You can even get creative and make your own, which is perfect for if you’re on a budget. It’s a good way to stay inventive and try something new whilst also being an activity you could do over the phone.

Secret Santa

Another fun activity is to do secret Santa! Either send each other your gifts or give them out before you leave for the holidays then arrange a group facetime to open them around Christmas time. This is a fantastic reason to phone them up during the break whilst hanging out in the process. It can also be heart-warming to know how much your friends care about you and each other through thoughtful gift giving. This activity doesn’t need to be expensive either, as you could make a rule where the presents have to be handmade, which can end up being more personal and meaning.

Social Media

Technology is the best thing to keep in contact over the break, just because you’re not physically together doesn’t mean you can’t keep up to date over social media. Make use of that group chat for something more than reminders to clean the kitchen! A private Snapchat or Instagram story is also a great way to keep in contact by sharing photos and see what everyone else is up to. You could even arrange a games night over FaceTime and play online mobile games like Among Us or Cards Against Humanity so that everyone can take part with only their phone.

Arrange a Visit

Since everyone will be scattered all over the country, why not arrange to visit everyone! Arranging a day trip to go visit someone in their home town is a fantastic way to spend time together whilst also exploring a new place. You could also make it a tradition to visit a person’s home town every break, or when you run out, arrange to meet in a city for a day none of you have been before and explore together.

However, most people can be very busy over the breaks, especially Christmas. Either working or visiting family, it can be difficult to find a time where everybody will be free to catch up. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to arrange a day out for when you’re back together. This can be something to look forward to whilst you’re at home and doesn’t need to be expensive either, as a night in with a takeaway and games would be perfect to learn what everyone’s been up to!