This post is all about how to make friends in college.
One of the best (and most nerve-wracking) things about college is making new friends. You’ll meet so many new people and you have no idea how many of them could end up becoming lifelong friendships! Here are all my best tips on how to make friends in college.
I’m going to be honest and say that it wasn’t the easiest thing for me to make friends in college… at first. Looking back, there are some things I wish I did differently, so I feel like I have lots of advice to give a new college student! And knowing how to make friends in college is some of the most important advice you will receive as a college student.
Ultimately, I did end up making great friends in college – my first college roommate is still one of my best friends, even though it’s been 2 years since I graduated.
But now I know exactly what I could have done to have a smoother journey in the ‘friends’ department and how I could have formed more friendships earlier on.
In the end, meeting new people was one of my favourite things about freshman year. The good news is, even when you have lots going on, it’s nearly impossible not to make friends in college.
But that being said, I know freshman year can be filled with nerves and uncertainties, so I want to make sure you avoid the hassle that I went through when it comes to making friends in college.
TIPS FOR COLLEGE FRESHMAN TO FIND YOUR PEOPLE:
1. Make your dorm a go-to hangout spot
Make sure people know that they’re welcome in your dorm room! Many people on campus will leave their dorm room doors open for the first couple weeks of the semester to let other people know that they’re welcome to stop by and chat.
You can also welcome friends into your dorm room by asking them to come with when you need to go grab something from your room, asking them to stop by after class, or even just introducing yourself to people by letting them know what dorm room you live in.
I know it sounds weird, but it’s pretty normal on campus to let people know where to find you, or who your roommate is. This is one great topic of conversation for small talk and it will get you and your peers comfortable with each other.
Also, if you’re walking back to your dorm room and you see somebody in the hallway, say hi to them and introduce yourself! You can ask if they live in your building and just make small talk. Everyone does it, especially in the first couple weeks, so don’t be shy.
2. Find easy ways to relate to new people
When you’re chatting with someone, find easy ways to relate and make a connection with them.
It could be as easy as saying, “I love your shirt, where’d you get it?” or even asking them different questions and sharing when you relate with something they said.
This is a great way to get to know your roommate! I actually have a post on the best questions to ask your roommate which will help you break the ice and get comfortable in your new environment right away.
3. Join school social media groups
Usually, colleges have social media groups and pages where you can join and connect with other students. Facebook pages usually allow you to ask questions and make posts to all other students, and sometimes people post their Instagram handles there and create group chats with people in their program.
Before my freshman year started, I joined my school’s Facebook group and there were lots of people introducing themselves by posting. They would say their name, program, where they’re from, and their Instagram handle. I ended up joining one group chat from connecting that way, and was able to find people in my program in advance of actually starting school so we could meet up on the first day!
But I had no clue that there were several other freshman group chats people made during the summer until a friend told me months later. I felt so left out! I was oblivious to the fact that a bunch of other freshmen followed each other on Instagram and created group chats to talk to each other way before school started. This left me feeling like everyone had a head start at making friends.
Through social media you may also be able to find people in your same residence hall or people interested in the same campus clubs as you.
So, join any social media groups that you can and follow/message people on Instagram! If you don’t know of any group chats, you can even be the one to take the initiative to start one.
4. Join clubs on campus
Okay, this one is pretty obvious. One of the best ways to make friends is to join clubs on campus!
Clubs are a great way to both learn new things and find like-minded people and make a lot of friends because you already have common interests and you’ll be spending lots of time together throughout the year.
5. Join intramural sports
Intramural sports are another great way to find people with similar interests. You’ll have such a good time playing intramural sports and you’ll have the opportunity to broaden your social circle by meeting more people through your team!
6. Get as involved as possible in the first week of school
The first week of school, or even the week before, often is one of the most exciting parts of the college experience. There are usually tons of events and parties you can go to, which will help you meet people and get involved right away!
Make sure you attend a campus event (or a few) that looks really fun and interesting to you. Put yourself out there, and don’t be afraid to talk to people. It’s even better if you can connect with someone in advance, like your roommate or someone in your program, to go with you!
Then you can start learning about other parties and get-togethers and start spending time with people in your class.
7. Don’t feel like you need to be close with EVERYONE
This is much easier said than done! It’s hard when you see so many friend groups that you could be a part of. But if you try stretching yourself too thin, you’ll end up with a bunch of shallow friendships instead of finding some long-lasting friends. So, don’t feel bad if you can’t hang out with everyone. Go with the flow as much as you have to.
If there are certain people you really connect with, invest even more time into those friendships.
Knowing who to invest your time in is probably one of the most important social skills you can learn in college. And there’s nothing wrong with hanging out with lots of different people, as long as you’re being intentional with the few friends who you feel you really connect with!
8. Be open to the unexpected
Your friends might not be the people you’d initially expected, but that’s the best part. At orientation, you might be practically attached at the hip to someone you really click with but then end up drifting into different friend groups later in the semester. Go with the flow and don’t desperately try to hold onto anyone.
The best friends are the unexpected ones that you didn’t think much of the first time you saw the person.
One of the friends from college that I talk to most now was someone that I barely interacted with all freshman year. They were in some of my classes and we talked or joked around here and there, but it wasn’t until the summer after freshman year that we ended up actually staying in contact and becoming more solid friends.
9. Don’t be intimidated if you see your friends with other friends
In freshman year, I made the mistake of seeing a friend hang out with a group of people I didn’t recognize, and assuming that meant that we weren’t actually great friends. That’s so not true!
People hang around all different kinds of groups in college because you have to make different friends in every class so that you always have someone to stick with. So don’t get discouraged if you see a friend hanging out with a group of people you don’t know. This isn’t high school; you won’t know everyone and that’s okay.
And it definitely doesn’t mean that your friends aren’t your real friends.
If anything, it just gives you an opportunity to meet new people through your friend!
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