Worried About How to Make Friends in College? 6 Things You Should Know!
Throughout the grade school and high school experience, people make friends differently. Some people make connections in preschool and kindergarten that last for a lifetime while others may move around a lot and have some practice in making new friends. Regardless of your background, entering college is a time for making new connections. This can be an exciting and intimidating experience. That is why many institutions provide resources for students to safely and effectively interact with other students and develop meaningful relationships that may last well beyond college. Here are 6 things to know about how to make friends in college.
Attend Campus Events And Activities
Campuses want students to interact with each other and grow during their time at college. So, how long is college, and what opportunities are available? Depending on the college you choose and your field of study, college generally starts with obtaining a two or four-year degree. Two-year colleges generally have campus-sponsored events such as concerts, films, theatre productions, workshops, and more! These are a great way to interact with like-minded people around campus. In addition, four-year colleges may have more defined organizations such as fraternities and sororities or student-run clubs. Stay updated with campus events through your school website or by asking the student services office at your school.
Interact With The Students In Your Classes
It is likely that students in the classes that you are taking share at least some of your interests. Take the time before and after class to interact with them, get to know the people you will be spending the semester with. This allows you to not only broaden your academic resources but also allows you to naturally develop relationships with the people you see every day.
Join A Study Group
By joining a study group, you can connect with people who are in the same discipline as you that might not be taking the same classes. Similar to interacting with students in your classes, joining a study group can help you grow socially as well as academically.
Use Your Dorm
If you aren’t in class or studying, chances are that you will be spending time in your dorm.
Dorms are set up to encourage making friends in college. There are common areas where you can interact with your dorm mates, and there are sure to be plenty of dorm room shenanigans going on throughout the semester that you can join in on, such as nerf wars or fort building. Maybe you can even be the leader of such activities.
Eat Meals In The Dining Halls
Dining halls are meant to encourage interaction between students by taking you out of your dorm or studies to sit down and actually focus on eating. While students here might not be like-minded in terms of study or social events, they may just be the organic interactions you need to develop lasting friendships.
Be Yourself
Remember to be yourself. There is no better way to make friends than to show people who you are. There may be people that do not align with your views or personality, but that is all the more reason to be genuine and determine those differences right off the bat. The right people will appreciate the genuine interactions and personality traits you bring.
It is alright to go out there and take the initiative. We all need social interaction to motivate us and keep us on the right path. Take control now, and you will be well on your way to making friends in college.
Photo by Antonino Visalli on Unsplash
