How To Properly Say Goodbye To Family & Friends Before Leaving For University
In just a few weeks you’ll be embarking on one of the biggest changes in your life. Leaving for university is challenging, exciting, emotional, all the things in one.
It’s important that you make the most of this time at home before you move away into student accommodation for the year ahead.
You’ve got friends to see, family members to say goodbye to, and it can be difficult to create the right balance so that you get to see everyone you want to, that everyone who wants to say goodbye to you gets a chance, but that you also have time to rest and prepare for what’s to come.
Here are some ways in which you can properly say goodbye to your friends and family before leaving for university.
1. Spend Quality Time With Your Family
If you are quite social and have a large group of friends, your focus might be on going out and spending as much time as you can with them.
This isn’t wrong, it’s only natural to do so, but you should also pay attention to your family.
There’s a good chance that your parents, your grandparents, siblings, cousins, whatever your family makeup is, are going to miss you a lot.
Make sure you build in some time with them before you leave for university.
Have a farewell meal, go round to see your nan and hug her tight. Your family will miss you, and you’ll miss them.
Make these moments count, as when you move to university it will most likely be the first time you’ve spent so much time living independently and away from your family and the natural support network this brings.
2. Be Respectful At Home
As we’ve pointed out, your parents and family might be having a hard time coming to terms with the fact you’ll be leaving home soon.
As well as spending quality time with them before you go, make sure that you are on your best behaviour for these last few weeks.
Keep your bedroom tidy, help with the dishes, take the bins out, hoover the house and so on.
We’re not saying you don’t already do these things but be more aware than usual of your upcoming absence in the home and be helpful to your parents at a time that’s challenging and exciting for all of you.
3. Have A Farewell Party
There might be a few of your friends that are also moving away to university this year.
As well as your regular nights out and parties, try to have a big farewell party for all of you in one go.
Use a large outdoor space if you can, a garden, or a park, where different groups of friends can come together, spread out with plenty of space, maybe have a barbecue and some drinks.
This is a fantastic way to see out this chapter in your life in a relaxing and fun way, having fun with your friends and soaking up what home means to you before you embark on a new journey.
4. Make Those Special Moments With Close Friends
Before heading off to university, you should also make time for your closest friends too, especially those who perhaps aren’t going to uni themselves.
If you’ve got a close-knit group of best friends, spend some quality time together just you guys.
This can include your habits and traditions, whether that’s going to the cinema, heading out for a regular cup of coffee together, cooking as a group, gaming together, or whatever weird and wonderful things you do as friends.
Have one last hurrah, and then you can even choose to take the tradition with you.
For instance, you might plan to get on a video group chat once a month to cook together and have a drink like you would regularly at home.
It’s important to keep connections with people back home, and it doesn’t have to be at the expense of making new friends at university.
5. Plan To Stay In Touch
It is easier than ever before to stay in touch with friends and family, no matter where you live.
Even if you’re on the other side of the world you can chat on WhatsApp, have regular video calls, keep in touch on social media, or even go the old-fashioned route and either pick up the phone or write a letter.
With very close friends, or with your grandparents, writing a letter every now and then is a great way to put some thought into staying in touch with your loved ones.
You can even include little gifts. It keeps you present and, ‘in the moment’, focusing on what you’re saying to that person, rather than just sending a quick message.
6. Make Time For You
It is easy to get caught up in trying to see absolutely everyone you possibly can and to do all the things in your hometown that you’ll miss when you move away.
This isn’t always possible and that’s okay, because chances are, you’ll be back for a visit sooner than you think.
With such a busy year ahead, and a transition into a new life where you’ll be looking after yourself, it is important to use these last few weeks wisely.
Buy the stuff you need for uni in advance so it’s not a last-minute rush, but also take time to relax on your own, to rest and be ready to go in a few weeks when university arrives.
The last thing you want is to be absolutely knackered when you turn up at your student accommodation and at your first lecture.
As hard as it is to say goodbye when leaving for university, you’ve got some exciting times ahead. You’ll meet new people, make new friends, and experience new things when moving away to study.
If it is your first time living away from home, you’ll also learn how to look after yourself, how to budget, how to cook and clean, and balance your study and social life.
Your friends and family are still there as your support network, and it won’t be long before you are returning home for Christmas to see everybody!
Make the most of your last few weeks at home before university and embrace uni life when you do go away.