DEAR ABBY: I'm a 16-year-old girl and a junior in high school. I love my best friend and we are very close with each other. How do we maintain a strong friendship when we go to college? We are planning on going to different colleges, possibly in different states. We don't want to lose what we have right now. -- GOOD FRIEND ON THE WEST COAST
DEAR GOOD FRIEND: Do it the way everyone else does -- through instant messaging and social media. But understand that both of you will have new responsibilities that will occupy your time, and you will be meeting new people and forming additional relationships. It doesn't have to have a negative impact on your close friendship if you both approach it with the right attitude. College is a time for growth and expansion. When you see each other during vacations from school, you can share that with each other.