Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Say goodbye
• Part 2 of 3: Dealing with your friend's absence
• Part 3 of 3: Keeping in touch
• Tips

It can be a bad experience when a friend moves. If you're used to seeing someone every day, it can be difficult to get used to a long-distance relationship. There are many ways to go about moving a friend away. Start by saying goodbye so that you feel a sense of closure. You can learn to deal with your friend's absence. Stay in touch remotely via phone calls and social media.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Say goodbye

1. Support your friend. Do your best to support your friend's move, even if it is difficult. No matter how hard you are having, the stress is likely to be worse for your friend. He or she has to deal with the stress of packing and planning, not to mention the stress associated with moving to a new community. You want to make sure you support your friend until he or she leaves. This can help you get things done right.
   • Listen if your friend needs to talk. He or she may feel stressed, sad, or otherwise upset about the upcoming move. Be a good friend and listener. Let your friend express their frustrations. While it is good to tell your friend that you are going to miss him or her, do not stress your friend further.
   • Even if you are sad that your boyfriend is moving, try to be genuinely happy for him or her. Wish your friend the best of luck with his or her big move. Like everything he or she posts on Facebook related to the move. Try to help your friend get excited. Look up new things for your friend to do in his or her new home.
2. Create memories you can record. Reminders are important in helping you deal with a friend's move. You can feel less sad about your friend's departure if you have tangible memories at hand. Try to take some photos, videos and voice recordings of you and your friend. This can help you say goodbye. You will feel less sad about your friend's absence if you know you need to remind him or her about something.
3. Seek support from others. As mentioned, your friend is probably already overwhelmed by his or her move. You don't want to dump your grief on your friend. Seek support from other friends and family members. Talk to them about how you feel about saying goodbye to your friend.
   • Ask someone if you can talk to them first and explain that you need to find out your feelings about your friend's upcoming move. Ask them if they can just listen to you and have a chat and then let them know how you feel.
   • Choose someone who is empathetic, such as a nice older family member or a good mutual friend. Choose someone who has listened to you in the past if you have been through difficult times.
4. Consider hosting a farewell party. A farewell party can be a great way to mark the end of an era. Ask your mutual friends if they are considering getting together to say goodbye to the friend who is moving. This gives your friend a chance to have a last talk with everyone.
   • Consider planning some festive activities that will encourage closing. For example, you can each give a short speech to say goodbye. You can also all sign a farewell card for your friend.
   • Don't expect a goodbye party to be all fun. You can expect there to be some tears and grief as well. This is normal. Don't try to force your friend or guests to experience only feelings of happiness.
5. Try a parting gift. Consider giving your friend a parting gift. This can help both of you feel some closure. Your friend has something to remind you of and you will feel like you have the opportunity to officially say goodbye.
   • You don't have to spend a lot of money on a parting gift. It could be something sentimental that reflects your relationship. For example, if you and your friend liked a particular coffee shop, buy him or her a cheap mug from that store.
   • You can also make a creative gift for your friend. Write him or her a poem commemorating your friendship. Create a collage of photos of the two of you.

Part 2 of 3: Dealing with your friend's absence

1. Recognize that negative feelings are normal. When your boyfriend moves, you need to recognize that negative feelings are normal. You shouldn't expect to come back from menopause anytime soon. It's okay to allow yourself to feel what you feel, be it good or bad.
   • It's normal to feel sad when a friend is gone, especially if you were particularly close. While you will still be in touch, you can't just go to your friend's house at the end of a long day. It's normal to feel disappointed and frustrated with this transition.
   • You may also feel some anxiety. Your friend is going to meet new people in his or her new location. You can worry about being replaced or forgotten. Such fears are also very normal.
   • If your friend has moved for positive reasons, such as a new job or going to a good college, you may feel guilty for feeling sad. You may feel like you should be happy for your boyfriend and his or her wonderful new life. However, it is okay to feel sad. Any transition will certainly result in mixed emotions. You can be happy for your boyfriend, but still be sad if you miss him or her.
2. Express your feelings. Bottling up your feelings during a tough transition is a bad idea. You have to be able to express your feelings in order to process them. As mentioned earlier, you can talk to a trusted friend or family member. You can also express your feelings in writing. Keeping a journal about your emotions a few times a week can help you process the transition.
3. Think about the friendship. Take some time to think after your friend has moved. Moving can cause a strange feeling. The friendship isn't over yet, but it has changed dramatically. It won't be the same from now on. Take some time to reflect on your friendship when you lived in the same place.
   • Try to see both the positive and the negative. You will regret if a friend moves. For example, there is probably a lot that the two of you never got a chance to do together. However, you should also be grateful for the time you've had.
4. Give yourself time to adjust. Sometimes adaptation just takes time. When a close friend leaves, you can feel strange in his or her absence. For example, you're not sure what to do with yourself on the weekend, or you feel lost when you don't know who to visit after a stressful day. This is all normal. Don't try to force yourself to feel better faster than what feels natural. Allow yourself time to adjust to the absence of a friend.
5. Stay busy. It may take time to adjust to the absence of a close friend. Find ways to entertain yourself in the absence of your friend. Spend time with other friends or family members. Look for new hobbies or activities that will take up your time.
   • If you had a particular day of the week that you usually spent with your friend, find ways to fill in your time on that day. For example, maybe you've always had dinner with your friend on a Friday night. Make regular plans with another friend that night or join a club that meets on Fridays.
   • Get in touch with other friends. While you may miss your friend who has moved, you should work to strengthen your relationships with your friends who still live in your area. These friends are likely missing the friend who also moved and will appreciate your contacting us.
   • Look for new hobbies.If you're not sure what to do with yourself in the absence of your friend, finding new ways to pass the time can help. Explore your interests. If you've always been interested in cooking, you can sign up for a cooking class.
6. Consult a therapist if necessary. It's normal to feel sad when a friend leaves. However, certain mental health conditions, such as clinical depression, can make adjusting to changes more difficult. If you have previously been diagnosed with a mental illness, or if you suspect that you may be dealing with a condition such as depression, seek the help of a therapist.
   • You can find a therapist by asking your regular doctor for a referral. You can also find a therapist through your insurance company. If you are a student, you may be entitled to free guidance through your college or university.

Part 3 of 3: Keeping in touch

1. Email or message your friend regularly. Be thankful for modern technology even though your friend has moved. It's easier than ever to stay in touch with email and SMS, both of which send messages instantly. Try to keep regular correspondence via email. Send your friend an email every few weeks with information on how you are doing. You can also text your friend every day to make little observations and ask how your friend is doing.
2. Call your friend or try a video call. Random, long conversations don't have to end just because a friend has moved. Even if your friend is thousands of miles away, you can still call or video chat regularly. Try to schedule a Skype or FaceTime session. You can also simply call your friend. For example, agree to call or video chat every Tuesday.
3. Stay informed via social media. Social media makes it really easy to keep in touch with friends who have moved. Take advantage of things like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter. You can receive updates on your daily activities from friends via social media, making you feel that the distance is not insurmountable.
   • You can also play games remotely through outlets such as Facebook and your smartphone. Trivia games and games like Words With Friends can make you feel like your friend is there while you hang out.
4. Accept contact will diminish over time. While it's easy to keep in touch with a friend at a distance, you're still likely to communicate less than if you lived in the same place. In the beginning you can constantly call or text because you miss each other a lot. However, because you are both adapting and meeting new people, communication can become rarer.
   • This isn't necessarily a bad thing and it doesn't mean the two of you are growing apart. Many people have long-distance friends with whom they feel very close, even if they only communicate occasionally. You may find that when you and your friend talk, you feel like no time at all has passed, even if it was months ago.
5. Get together when you can. Even if your boyfriend has moved, you can still see each other at times. Try to get together once a year or every other year. If your friend still has family members in your area, he or she may be around during vacations. While visits can be somewhat rare, you may find that you appreciate your friend's presence more when you only see each other once a year.

Tips

• It's okay to be sad. If you have to cry, let your feelings out. Talk to someone who cares about you and is willing to listen to your feelings.
• If you are really sad about your friend leaving, work on a project or long-term goal so that you can be happy instead of feeling sad all the time.
• Try to make new friends, not that you will forget that friend, but you will miss them.