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Don’t Know How to Make Friends in College? We are here to assist you. Whether you’re set to begin your first day at a private institution or a huge university, making new friends can be hard, especially if you’re an introvert. If you want to make good friends at college, you should start being social as soon as possible, or you will struggle once your social circles have closed. Remember that everyone is new and nervous, just like you.
College is exciting and terrifying at the same time. You have a lot of freedom, but you’re also in an unfamiliar environment with hundreds of strangers. Making new friends is difficult, but it is doable. Take a deep breath & push yourself outside of your comfort zone. You can’t make friends in your dorm room. Engage in conversations with students, invite them to hang out, and become involved on campus. Maintain an open mind and stay true to yourself throughout the process.
Take Initiative
1. Get to class early and strike up a conversation.
Arriving ten minutes early to class allows you to settle in and speak with your classmates. Meeting new people can be intimidating, but making new friends is worth the discomfort. Comment on a homework assignment, an event at school, or a quirky professor.
- Say, “What did you think of last night’s reading?” or “I heard this professor enjoys cold calling.” I’m kind of nervous!”
- Introduce yourself when you sit next to a stranger in class.
2. Invite people to hang out
How to Make Friends in College: Don’t wait for people to come to you. Ask people in your classes or dorm if they want to grab a meal, get ready for a party, or go to the gym with you. Don’t worry; asking people to hang out won’t make you look weird or like you’re trying too hard to make friends. To make connections, you must put yourself out there; other people will appreciate the effort.
- Doing daily activities together, such as dining, studying, or working out, is an excellent way to integrate socialization into your hectic schedule.
- If you don’t want to party, organize a movie night or an old-fashioned slumber party in your dorm.
3. Try to talk to one new person daily.
A conversation can begin anywhere. Chat up with the girl or the guy taking his laundry out of the dryer next to yours. The more people you meet, the more good friends you will make.
4. Keep your room door open.
Leaving the door open while you’re in your room allows your roommates to come in and say hello. People passing by should wave and smile. You could even offer snacks; no college student will turn down free food.
- Keep your door open just while you’re in the room. Lock it as you leave to prevent theft.
Get Out of Your Dorm Room
1. Go to campus events
You can’t make friends when cooped up in your dorm room all day. Dress, take a deep breath & head to a football game, a party, or a college festival. There could be a lot of potential friends at these gatherings. Furthermore, maintaining up to date on school happenings might provide you different topics to discuss with your friends.
2. Do your homework in social spaces.
Of course, you’ll need to buckle down at the library during test season, but during the rest of the year, try doing your schoolwork in the student union or a coffee shop. Seat yourself next to a friendly-looking student and strike up a conversation.
- You could ask about a cup of coffee or a spare pencil. “Hey, I’ve never been here before & I’m not sure what to get,” and “What do you typically drink?”
3. Say yes to invitations.
If someone invites you to lunch or a party, say yes! While you should never act against your values, getting out of your comfort zone to meet new people is important.
- If you’re not a big party, don’t feel obligated to go to many frat parties or drink. You can connect with others in different ways.
- Give everyone an opportunity. Avoid passing judgment on others. While you should never do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, you might be surprised at who ends up becoming your friend!
4. Eat dinner together every night.
Instead of eating at your desk in your dorm room, go to the dining hall! Attempt to become familiar with the other people who frequent your dining hall. Don’t be scared to sit next to a stranger or strike up a conversation at the dessert bar.
- Say something like, “Hey, my name is Jack. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you around. I live in the dorm next to the dining hall.”
- Talk about what you think of the food. If the burgers look a little strange, nudge the person next to you and ask, “What do you think of the burgers? Should I take it or stay away?”
- If you don’t have a meal plan, get your roommates to cook dinner.
Join Activities and Groups
1. Join a club Check with your college’s Office of Student Engagement or the website to find out what you can do. You’ll probably find academic clubs, cultural clubs, performing arts clubs, pre-professional clubs, and volunteer clubs. Join one that sounds cool, and you’ll meet many people who like the same things you do.
- If your school doesn’t have a club you’d like to see, be brave and start your own! You might want to start a club for your favourite art form or special academic interest.
- Don’t give yourself more to do than you can handle. Especially if you’re a freshman, you should give yourself time to get used to college life. Just one club will do. Three clubs could quickly become too much to handle.
2. Join a sports team
You can join a casual intramural team. If you want to try out a new sport, these are great. Join a competitive club team on campus for a more exciting time. There’s no better way to make new friends than to compete, sweat, and maybe even win.
- If you don’t want to join a team, you can join a pick-up game a few times a week or go to the gym and take a regular class.
3. Volunteer
If you care about a certain cause, check out what volunteer opportunities are out there. Your college might have a few volunteer groups or be able to put you in touch with opportunities in your area. Volunteering allows you to get out of your college bubble, help others, and meet people who share your interests.
- Look for on and off-campus volunteer opportunities. Don’t see anything you like? Organize your project!
4. Take a job that requires socializing.
Think about being a peer tutor, a waitress, or a salesperson. You’ll not only make money to help pay for college, but you’ll also get to know your coworkers and maybe even a few customers.
- Jobs on campus are a great way to meet many other students. But if you want to meet new people, you should get a job away from campus.
5. Join a fraternity or sorority
Greek organizations aren’t for everyone, but they can be a great way to feel like part of a group. If you like this community, you might want to move quickly. Remember that you can always turn it off if you don’t like it.
6. Start a study group
Send an email to your dorm or get your class together. Dealing with hard material and maybe one or two crazy professors simultaneously is a quick way to become close. Plus, your grades may get a boost!
7. Be an RA
If you are in your second or third year, you might be able to be a RA or resident assistant. RAs help people in their hall with their studies, social lives, and personal problems. As a resident assistant, you’ll get to know your fellow RAs and the students you’re in charge of.
8. Get involved in a religious community.
You may have been very religious before you went to college. Joining a religious group can help you stay connected to your faith and meet other people who believe the same way you do. If you can’t find the kind of community you want on your campus, check out what’s out there.
Attract the Right People
1. Make yourself look approachable.
When feeling uneasy or nervous, it’s tempting to start scrolling idly through your social media account to appear active. However, this will not attract people to come in. Instead, put down the phone and use calm, confident body language: smile and make eye contact with people. You’ll appear nice and approachable.
- Don’t put your arms across your chest and look down.
- Don’t spend too much time on social networking sites. It’s important to keep in touch with old friends, but it’s also good to make new friends.
- Fake it ‘till you make it. Even if you feel uncomfortable, using confident body language will make it seem like you’re not.
2. Be open to people different from you.
In college, you’ll meet people from different places and walks of life. Don’t ignore someone just because you or your high school friends aren’t like them. If you keep an open mind, you might meet your new best friend.
3. Find a social friend who is more outgoing than you
There will be a huge range of people at your college. Some people will be shy, while others will be the party’s life. You should find a good mix of friends, but you should also choose at least one or a few who are great at making friends, love meeting new people and are always up to something fun.
- This will help you meet as many people as possible and find the few most important to you.
4. Stay true to yourself.
You’ve probably heard this a million times, yet it needs repeating. After all, everyone in college wants to make new friends quickly, so they may change themselves to fit in. Forcing a friendship, on the other hand, rarely works. For true, long-lasting connections, be yourself.
- Instead of focusing on your flaws, you should consider your talents and strengths. What if you aren’t very good at math? You’re a big deal when it comes to foreign languages.
- Think about what you value. What matters most? How do you view life?
- Remember that you can always find people who care about the same things you do. Keep looking for ways to meet people who are like you.
FAQs: How to make friends in college
1. Is it common to feel lonely at college or university?
How to make friends in college: It is typical to feel lonely in college or university. During the first semester of college, studies typically show significant loneliness and adjustment challenges. It can occur even if people have developed numerous social contacts or have had enjoyable experiences.
Loneliness is a common issue because it is difficult to cope with abrupt changes, such as being separated from family or friends at home. Adjusting to self-sufficiency can also be difficult without regular, direct in-person support from parents or caregivers.
2. How to make friends in college while balancing your studies & building new social connections?
How to make friends in college: There are a few options for balancing studies and socializing.
Try dividing your study time into blocks and reserving other periods for socializing. Social time may include specific events where individuals can meet or time set out to spend with close people.
You can also study while building social contacts. For example, you may see if a potential or course friend would like to study together. This is also an excellent method to make social connections in your field of study. Your “study pals” may also be able to connect you with others.
3. How can I make friends in college if I don’t like going to parties or consuming alcohol? Is it possible for me to make new friends?
Of course! Many other students are in the same boat as you.
Because so many social activities do not include alcohol, college campuses or towns are wonderful places to make friends without alcohol.
Some ideas to consider:
- Joining university organizations that are connected to your hobbies, such as theatrical clubs, sports organizations, and music organizations
- Going to university-sponsored gatherings on campus, many of which do not offer or highlight alcohol
- chatting in a coffee shop or hostel room.
4. How can I stay in touch with the college or university classmates I like?
How to make friends in college: A good way to stay in touch with someone you’ve met is to have an activity you’d like to do together or with a group at a given time. Some possible ideas include the following:
- going to a sports event
- seeing a play on campus
- participating in events on campus, like movie nights
You can then request their contact info to finalize the specifics. If you don’t immediately figure out what you want to do, you can offer to hang out at some time and ask for their contact information. You can afterwards text them and suggest an activity.
You can also text them about things they’ve mentioned to you. “How did that test go?” for example. “What happened to the intramural game?” “Would you like to study this Thursday at [insert time and location]?”
5. How to make friends in college if you aren’t making lasting connections when you try to start friendships?
This is a common and difficult scenario.
First, you’re probably not doing anything wrong because there isn’t always a “correct” way to approach social encounters. Making long-term friendships can be difficult for a variety of reasons.
Consider visiting your university counselling centre for feedback on your specific situation, where you can talk with counsellors who understand common college issues.
Making connections can mean doing things that will help your goals along while also doing things that will hinder them.
For example, if you want to spend more time with someone but never contact them to propose activities, you’re unlikely to achieve your aim.
Making a few tries to propose certain activities and letting the other person accept or decline is a better strategy to work toward social bonds.
6. How do I make college friends if I’m shy and introverted?
How to make friends in college: Being shy and quiet is very common. And there’s good news: you don’t have to change your personality!
There is evidence that introverts still have close relationships with other people and look for closeness. Introverts usually get along well with other introverts, which is still a big group.
Most people have trouble meeting new people because they don’t like them. Still, when both people disagree, this effect is most clear.
Older research suggests that it’s possible for anyone, no matter what their personality is, to develop a set of personal behaviours that help bring people closer together.
Final words: How to make friends in college
How to make friends in college: Although meeting people can be intimidating initially, it is well worth the effort and is an important part of your education. Knowing how to make friends in college will make your stay as an international student much more enjoyable. You will make long-lasting friendships and great connections. So smile and say hello – you never know who you could encounter.
