When I first came to UC Berkeley, staying close to home became a bigger part of navigating my college experience than I had ever expected. I found myself constantly trying to weave calls and FaceTimes into my busy schedule but never quite felt connected to those I was missing through these rushed catch-ups. To combat this, I started looking for other ways to maintain my family and hometown relationships in fulfilling ways while still being fully present here at UC Berkeley. If you’re also struggling with staying connected to home, here’s a list of all that has helped me.
Schedule catch-ups in your calendar
Blocking off calls and FaceTimes in your calendar the same way you’d block off a meeting makes a real difference. Don’t let calls fall through the cracks by leaving them to whenever your busy schedule permits. From my experience, I’ve found that breaks between classes are one of the best windows for a catch-up with someone from back home. As someone who is on the phone constantly while on campus, I know that awkward connection issues and crowds of students drowning out your voice can be frustrating. When you’re craving comfort in that person back home, the last thing you want is to be stuck with the obstacle of figuring out the best place to sit and talk to them. Luckily, I think I’ve perfected a list of the prime FaceTime spots on campus: Ishi Court, Class of 1914 (Kroeber) Fountain, Memorial Pool and the Valley Life Sciences Building Lawn. These are great options for the ultimate debrief — enjoy beautiful views and catch up with your loved one without the chaos of campus taking over your call.
Use social media for updates in real time
As much as I love a good call, sometimes I just don’t have the time to sit down for one. When there’s so much that can happen in a day, waiting until a weekly debrief to catch someone up on all of it can feel overwhelming and almost impossible. This is where incorporating different social media apps can be a game changer. BeReal shows your friends what you’re actually doing and when. The app gives all of its users a notification at the same time randomly each day, with a two-minute window to take a dual-camera photo. Whether you’re cramming in Moffitt Library or out with your friends, sharing small moments like this gives your hometown friends an unfiltered glimpse into your UC Berkeley life. Another option for you and your friends is Vlogit. Each day, one person from your friend group gets randomly chosen to be the vlogger, and, at the end of the day, their vlog becomes a recap capped at 3 minutes. It’s the perfect way to take your friends throughout your day no matter the distance.
Watch something together from afar
Bonding over a movie or TV show is immune to distance. Teleparty syncs up streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max across browsers and includes a group chat. This makes a movie night for groups easy. If you want to take it a step further, send a DoorDash or Grubhub gift order to whomever you’re watching with. This makes it feel like you’re actually with those people that you’re missing. If watching something synchronously doesn’t fit into your schedule, independently start the same TV show with someone from afar. You can watch episodes at your own pace and unpack everything you watched when time permits.
Unfortunately, we can’t always be at our favorite places with our favorite people, but I hope you have a new idea on how to stay connected to home the next time you’re missing someone a little extra. Now there are no excuses — FaceTime someone, have a movie watch party or start a Vlogit group — and remind a family member or friend how much you love them (and UC Berkeley).