Find out the different ways you can reconnect with an old friend.
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Remember those late-night chats, crazy adventures, and shared secrets with friends from way back? Old friendships can bring you a unique sense of nostalgia. Looking back on those moments of laughter and times where you were vulnerable with one another can make you miss old friends. Do you have a friend that you miss? Yeah? Well, this blog post is a great one for you, because we’re going to breakdown the ways that you can reconnect with an old friend! Life has a funny way of scattering us and our friends across different paths, but the magic of reconnecting with them is like finding long-lost treasure! Whether it’s been months, years, or even decades, rekindling those relationships can really bring a spark of joy to your life.
Reconnecting with an old friend will be more than a trip down memory lane, it’s going to be an opportunity for you to rediscover parts yourself you didn’t realise you missed. Friendships from your past often hold a special place in your heart because they remind you of who we once were and how much you’ve grown. Forming these connections again might even provide you a sense of belonging and offer fresh perspectives on your present. Despite the twists and turns you have in your life, some bonds remain timeless and unbreakable.
The Reasons Why You Should Reconnect With a Friend
Nostalgia – Recount and Relive Your Shared History
Discussing shared history when reconnecting with an old friend helps you tap into a unique and irreplaceable bond that was built on shared experiences and memories. These shared moments create a foundation of trust and familiarity that can instantly bridge the gap of time and distance. Reminiscing about your past adventures, inside jokes, and significant life events can bring a sense of warmth and nostalgia, reminding you of who you were and how you’ve grown together!
Support – Regain a Member of Your Support System
Reconnecting with an old friend is incredibly valuable because close friends often have a great insight into your character and past experiences. They were once a key part of your support network, and they can slot back into that network when they reconnect with you. This old friend can again become someone who truly “gets” you. An old friend’s support can feel especially meaningful because it’s rooted in a long history of shared experiences and mutual growth. It’s comforting and it’ll help you feel stable.
Perspective – share your new & recent experiences
While you and your friend have been apart, both of you have likely experienced some personal growth and new adventures! Reconnecting with an friend offers you both the chance to share these new perspectives. Sharing your different life experiences will make you and your friend realise that you’re not the same as you once were. But that’s a good thing! You’ve grown, you’ve matured (even if it’s just a little bit) and you have fresh new interests. This helps you build a stronger and more fulfilling friendship.
This Is How You Can Reconnect With an Old Friend
1. Make Contact
The first step to reconnecting with an old friend is to get in touch with them. Whether that’s calling their phone or reaching out on social media, it’s going to start your journey in reconnecting! (10 Best Phrases for Reaching Out to Someone When It’s Been Too Long, Parade). Keep it casual, don’t overthink it. I’ve definitely been guilty of overthinking this in the past, but in the case of contacting an old friend, just trust your instincts. For your friend, hearing from you may well light up their day!
Address the past
So, you have history with this friend, right? I’m sure that your friendship has had it’s up and downs (like all of them do), and that’s why it’s important to address the past. Reminiscing on the good memories and acknowledging the not so good ones will remind you and your friend why it’s worth investing in each other. Don’t focus on the low points though, because it might send them the wrong message, LOL! Focus on bringing up fond memories that help give reason as to why you’re reaching out to them again.
Ask about the present
When reaching out to reconnect with your old companion, asking about their present life is also an essential part of your initial contact with them. Inquiring about where they are in life and asking about what experiences they’ve had will help you create an opportunity for meaningful conversation, bridging the gap between the past and the present. This part of making contact with your old friend sets the foundation for a renewed and deeper connection. You can both share and celebrate the progress and milestones that you’ve achieved since you last spoke. Getting an image of their present circumstances will also give you an understanding of how you can continue your plan to reconnect with them.
Show that you’re interested
Showing interest is an absolute must. When attempting to reconnect with an old friend, you want them to feel heard and for them to feel interesting. Give them indication that you genuinely care about them and what they are doing these days. Making your friend feel valued and appreciated is all part of the reconnecting journey. By acknowledging and engaging with their present life, you will pave the way for more meaningful and relevant conversations. These will re-establish your bond that is has been built from your shared past and your individual journeys. The genuine curiosity can reignite that connection you’re wanting and lay the groundwork for a more mature and more supportive relationship moving forward!
2. Plan to get together
The next stage of reconnecting with an old friend must involve some solid plans! It’s easy to send through a quick text saying, “hey, we should catch up,” but it’s crucial that you follow that up. By making a proper suggestion of what you could do together, you’re giving them an opportunity to commit to catching up. For example, asking your old pal, “would you like to play tennis with me next Saturday morning,” will hopefully have them respond with a ‘yes’ or a “sorry, maybe another time“. The more vague you are, the more vague your friend’s response will be. Ultimately, you need to show your old friend that you genuinely miss them and want to see them.
Here are a few options for meeting up:
Keep it simple & catch up for a drink
Catching up with your friend over a coffee or at a bar is low-pressure and easy to arrange. If a café or a bar is not tickling your fancy, you could even stay at home and invite your friend around to your place for a drink. Making simple plans like these make it more likely that both of you will follow through. They provide a relaxed setting that is perfect for reconnecting without the distraction or stress of elaborate plans. This simple approach will allow you to have more focused conversations and true quality time. A comfortable atmosphere is important when you haven’t been in each other’s space for a while. Plus, starting small gives you the flexibility to plan bigger activities later, once you’ve strengthened your bond back up.
Do an activity together
Suggesting an activity when trying to reconnect with an old friend is an effective approach because it provides a shared experience that can naturally break the ice and help you rediscover that bond you used to have. Doing an activity together, whether it’s hiking, attending a concert, or even taking a cooking class, shifts the focus from forced conversation to just enjoying the present moment together. Choose an activity that will not push either of you too far out your comfort zones, because it’s important that you feel relaxed and can enjoy the activity together! Maybe choose something you used to do together, something that’ll evoke fond memories.
Organise to meet with mutual friends
Planning a meet-up with mutual friends is a brilliant and fun way to reconnect with an old buddy! This get together can act as a mini-reunion where everyone can laugh about the good old days and catch up on each other’s lives. The presence of familiar faces will help ease any awkwardness between you and your old friend. When it’s a 1-on-1 catch up with an old friend, it can potentially feel a bit uncomfortable, so that extra company just helps ease any nerves. Plus, mutual friends will bring up those long-forgotten funny stories and remind you of old inside jokes! At the end of the day, the more, the merrier!
3. Plan for the future
It’s important that you and your buddy don’t stop at just one hang out! To reconnect with an old friend, it’s going to take a bit of time. Try set up some future plans after your initial hang out.
Be direct & talk about future plans
Make more plans to keep the momentum going! Imagine the fun of planning your next adventure together right after your reunion. Your follow up doesn’t need to be something extravagant, it could be as simple as setting up another coffee date or planning a movie night. Making concrete plans shows your friend that you’re really interested in keeping the connection alive, and keen to have it grow. It turns the nostalgic catch-up into an new beginning; a starting point for new memories and shared experiences. Planning future hang outs to look forward to keeps the friendship fresh and dynamic!
Now you have the blueprint of a plan to reconnect with an old friend! It’s natural to hesitate and question yourself, but trust me, taking the little leap of faith and making contact with your old comrade will be so so worth it. Take a good amount of time to think up some awesome plans – you will be thank yourself. As much as doing things on a whim is fun and exciting, seeing an old friend will feel a little bit more fulfilling when it’s been well planned. Are you feeling ready? Make a plan, build up that confidence, and reach out!
