The Real Guide To Making Friends In College

By Bizzy Emerson / September 6 , 2017

Along with all of the excitement that comes with going to college, there are also a lot of worries:
How do I do laundry? What happens if I fail a class? Will I get homesick?

But perhaps the most pressing concern among graduating seniors is making all new friends in a
brand new place. Sure, guidance counselors will tell you to “get involved and put yourself out
there,” but that’s easier said than done.

Everyone’s experience is different, so we talked to current college students to find out how they
really made friends.

Be realistic

College is a learning experience in many ways, and making friends is no exception. Keep an
open mind and try not to set unrealistic expectations. It’s OK if your friend circle doesn’t fall
into place right away.

“Early on, I was putting so much pressure on myself to lock down on a ‘group’ who I thought
was going to be instantly as close as my friends from high school,” said Indiana University
freshman Tara Garvey. “It wasn’t until I stopped trying that I met the girl who has been the best
part of my college career so far.”

Of course, you never know where you’ll meet new friends, but orientation is a good place to
start. Annie O’Brien, a freshman at the University of Notre Dame, met some of her closest
friends on the second day of orientation.

“We happened to be in the same campus tour group. No one was talking, so I just decided to
introduce myself and we totally hit it off and have been best friends since,” O’Brien said. “My
No. 1 advice is just to say ‘hi’ and introduce yourself to people.”

Be accessible

Most college freshmen will agree that the first few months are the toughest. Making yourself
available can help ease the growing pains.
“I kept my (dorm) door open the first couple of weeks, and that’s how I met a lot of my good
friends,” said University of Michigan freshman Megan Pomnitz.

Striking up random conversations with the people around you can pay off.

“Ask the girl next to you in class to get lunch after. If someone random invites you to hang out,
go,” O’Brien said. “You never know who is going to become your best friend, so you have to
take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.”

Be yourself

It’s also important to be genuine, said Purdue University freshman Dana Daggett.

“If you do something awkward or embarrassing, it really does help break the ice because it gives
you something to laugh about,” she said. “I accidentally pushed the bathroom door when a girl
was trying to get out, so I hit her. I made a joke about the nasty bathrooms, we laughed and
ended up exchanging names.”

There are plenty of ways to meet new people in college. No matter what you decide to do, look
at freshman year as a fresh start.

“College is one of the (only) times in your life when you can just restart,” said Vanderbilt
University freshman Max Bruere. “It doesn’t matter what you were like in high school.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/real-guide-making-friends_n_5406570
 7 Tips for Making Friends in College
Emma Lynch / October 3, 2017
1. Make friends with your floor
The people who live on your floor will be some of your best friends. If you need to borrow a
spoon, they’ve got it. If you want to watch TV in your pajamas, they’ve got you too. Your
roommate can be a good friend, but branching out and meeting with the people around you can
help you get some much needed time out of your room and introduce you to many different
people.
2. Call on your old friends from high school
If anyone from your high school is attending college with them, ask them to have dinner with you
a few times on the first week. And when you make friends, introduce them to your high school
friends, and vice versa—that way, you both will have a wider circle of people to hang out with.
3. Join clubs that you’re interested in
Chances are the people in clubs that focus on things you’re interested in will be interested in the
same things as you! Or at least, you will have one thing in common to bond over. Ask these
people out to dinner before club meetings or just to hang out during the day. Creating a network
of people to hang out with at different time, even if it isn’t one friend group, can make for a really
interesting group of friends.
4. Talk to people in your classes
You might not have much in common with the people from your classes other than to complain
about how hard the homework is but, sometimes, that’s all you need. Grab lunch between
classes with them, and form study groups to make sure that you’re not missing any of the
material. Being open and friendly with the people around you is sure to create more
opportunities for you to get to know each other.
5. Talk to strangers
I know this goes against the grain of anything you’ve ever been taught from elementary school
on up, but if you see someone who looks friendly, don’t be afraid to ask them how they are! Two
of my new friends met talking about how much they liked each other’s backpacks, and I met
another one of my friends talking about laundry. Everyone on campus is just as willing and
ready to meet new people as you are, and it never hurts to try to start a conversation that could
eventually lead to something more.
6. Focus on food
Social life in college revolves around food. Asking anybody if they want to get food is pretty
much a guaranteed yes. But if you eat by yourself, don’t feel bad! There are probably others in
the dining hall in the same situation and, most likely, they are more than willing to eat with you.
7. Get the digits
Also, remember to get people’s phone numbers. If they aren’t in your class, you might
not run into them again, and the ability to text really helps coordinate when you want to
hang out. Overall though, relax and don’t worry. Everyone in college is looking for new
friends, and they’re all kind and welcoming. As long as you ask for friends, you will be
sure to find them!

https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/the-7-tips-for-making-friends-in-college
 10 ways to make friends in college

JEREMY GOLDMAN / July 30, 2012

At the end of summer, hordes of new freshmen will enter college campuses for the first time.
It is a time of new experiences -- new dorms, new classes and new friends.

“People are definitely more open to making friendships at the beginning of freshman year,” said
George Wojick, a sophomore from Washington D.C. This initial eagerness wears off once people
get more settled in their friend groups, so there is a bit of a rush to make friends at the start of the
college experience.

“But it's not as though you loose that window of opportunity later,” Wojick added. “You don’t
need to find everyone you’ll ever hang out with in college.”

With that in mind, here are 10 simple tips to make friends at college:

1. Be yourself.

No matter which college you go to, there will be people who share your interests and personality.
It is important that you let your personality shine through so that your friends will be drawn to
who you are as a person.

“I wouldn’t really want to be friends with people who I couldn’t be myself around,” said Tufts
University sophomore Minna Jacobson. She added that it is difficult to relate to people with a
façade.

3. Be interesting.

In order to stick out in the crowd, it helps to have something unique -- be it a personality trait or
a hobby. Whether it’s your propensity for strategy games or affinity for Rocky Horror Picture
Showreenactments, talking about those unique traits will ensure that people remember who you
are.

5. Try to know a little about everything.

It is impossible to predict what people you’ll meet or what conversations you’ll have. Knowing
about the things people talk about can prepare you for any introduction. For instance, you may
not know the MVP of the Philadelphia Eagles, but it may help to know what football is.
6. Find common ground.

Similar experiences, shared hobbies and other mutual interests can bring people together and
make conversations much more interesting.

“That definitely gives you something to talk about with people,” Wojick said, adding that they
certainly don’t need to be a clone of you.

7. Eat meals with people.

Throughout history -- from gatherings of agricultural communities to the Tomatina in Spain --

people have bonded over food.

College is no different; a meal is a great way to get closer to a new friend or chat with an old
one.

“Just as family should sit down and eat at the dinner table once in a while, friends should, too,”
Boyhont recommended.

9. Invite people to do normally solitary activities.

Perhaps you work out or meditate every day. Well, why not invite a friend to share in the fun?

“Running was usually my alone time, but people got to know me as ‘that girl who went
running,’” Jacobson said. “So I would run with others who wanted to as well.”

10. Be nice.

While fawning or being a people pleaser may be a step too far, it is important to care about your
friends.

They will notice your attitude, and will be more likely to mirror it back toward you.

“I wouldn’t want to be friends with someone who wasn’t nice, no matter how funny
they are,” Jacobson said. “If they don’t care about people then I don’t really want to
interact with them.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2012/07/30/10-ways-to-make-friends-in-
college/37396027/