The Four Rules to Meeting Friends in College
The challenge of meeting friends at the start of your freshman year is a daunting one, especially if you are going to a school far away from home and you only know a few other people on campus. Meeting new people after being friends with the people from your hometown all of your life can be scary and even feel awkward at times. But the fortunate thing- making college friends is easy! Not too long ago, I arrived to college as a nervous freshman only knowing a handful of people. I ended up making friends during the first few weeks that I still talk to everyday and see once a year, despite living in different cities all across the globe. After going through the process of making friends, I decided to pass along a few useful tips to finding some lifetime college friends.
1) But what if I hate my roommate?
A lot of freshmen, myself included, go to college with the idea that their roommate will be their best friend. There are some cases when that magical roommate connection really happens, but most of the time, you will be fortunate if you have a roommate that doesn’t come home throwing up at four in the morning. Don’t be deterred if you don’t have an immediate connection with your roommate- there are so many other people on campus to meet!
2) Stop watching “Friends” and start making friends.
After a whole day of classes, it’s nice to just stay in your dorm room and just chill. Can we say hello Netflix? Dare to pause your most recent Netflix show binge (I know, it’s hard) and go attend a freshman event or an activity that your RA’s and upperclassmen are always encouraging you to attend. You may meet some great people living in the next building that you wouldn’t have crossed paths with unless you attended the Freshman BBQ.
3) Fight world hunger or Darth Vader.
College is one of the only places that seems to have a group or club for everything. And if they don’t have a group or club, you can even create one yourself. So if you’re interested in collecting star wars figurines or fighting world hunger, you can find a way to get involved. Once you join an organization, you will meet people with similar interests to your own and you can form some great connections!
4) Can studying be fun? Oh yes, it can be!
Class is a great way to meet people because you might not only meet people who have the same interests as you, but also find some great study partners. When you have a friend with you for those all-nighters, it makes the thought of staying up all night way less painful and you might even discover it to be fun. One of my favorite memories in college was staying up all night studying for a test with friends from my class and then after the test, deciding to go to a party together instead of sleeping. So even studying can be fun!
Six Steps to
College Success
- Attend every class and
engage with teachers - Note when your papers are
due - Start early
- Use resources such as tutors
- Ask questions and get the
help you need - Back up your computer files