Anonymous said to collegerefs: This gonna sound real sad lmao but can you write a post about making friends? I got to community college so everyone is doing their own thing & not very sociable.
This is an issue that many people deal with in college, even if they won’t admit to it. Sometimes making friends in college is just hard. Here are some tips to try to make the process a bit less difficult.
1. Talk to people on the first day of a new semester.
If you don’t talk to people on the first day, you may feel too uncomfortable to try making friends a few weeks into the semester. Plus, it’s easy to strike up a conversation on the first day. Here are some potential things to say:
- “Have you heard anything about this professor?”
- “Do you think this class will be hard?”
- “Do you know if the book for this class is required?”
Once you have a conversation going, it’s not hard to talk to people on the second, third, and forth day. Typically students will sit in the same seat everyday, so try to talk to the people around you! You might make a new friend!
2. If you live on campus, try being friends with your roommate, if possible. They are a great connection to other new friends.
You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate, but if you manage to be friends with them, then they are a great way to meet more new people! It’s so much easier to become friends with someone you have something in common with, and a great ice breaker is “You know my roommate!”
3. Take group work as an opportunity for friendship.
Everyone hates group work. Everyone. But it’s also a great opportunity to make friends. Bond over the fact that everyone hates group work. Try to get together with your group outside of class. This is one of the easiest ways to make friends in college because you have to interact with your group, so you don’t have to worry about coming up with an ice breaker or awkwardly introducing yourself.
4. Take to the internet.
Most universities have a Facebook group for each class of students. Just look up “[Your school] class of [year you’re graduating]” to find it. This helps especially if you’re a Freshman, because other students are often looking for people to get lunch with, explore the campus, etc.
5. Get a job on or near campus.
A lot of the friends you make in college are people that you work with. It’s remarkably easy to become friends with someone who you see each week. Talk to your coworkers and try to arrange a study session at the library!