5 Ways To Make Friends In College
“Did we just become best friends?! YEP!” #LumberPals
It’s easy to remember the first real friend you make in college. Whether it was your freshman year roommate, or the person who sat next to you in your Com 101 class. When entering a college campus for the first time, its normal to worry about how you’re going to make friends.
It’s important to keep in mind that at the start of this new experience, a lot of people are looking to meet new people. You aren’t the only one feeling like a little fish in a big pond! College is a great place that offers many opportunities for meeting people.
Finding these friends can be easier than you think. 3 tips to make friends in college:
1. Use your residence hall to your advantage!
You may not be life-long friends with your freshman roommate, but your residence hall is full of amazing people just waiting to be met!
“People are definitely more open to making friendships at the beginning of freshman year,” said George Wojick, a sophomore from Washington D.C. Wojick goes on to say “it’s not as though you loose that window of opportunity later though. You don’t need to find everyone you’ll ever hang out with in college in your first year.”
Residence halls are filled with other students who are feeling just as lonely and awkward as you are, and are just as eager to make new friends!
Many residence halls at NAU have common areas to hang out in, and study areas to meet up at. There are also a lot on fun events and activities that residence halls organize to help students meet each other!
2. Get involved on campus!
Another way to make friends on campus is to get involved with extracurricular activities. NAU offers greek life, intramural sports, clubs, leadership positions, and many many more. Doing something you love with others who love the same thing can create friendships that last forever. Going to events held by different organizations provides the chance to meet some pretty cool people who you already have common interests with!
3. Keep your door and your mind open!
Use your best judgement of course, but if you’re in your residence hall studying or watching TV, try to keep your door open.
You never know who might be walking through the hall and pop in to say “Hey I like that poster!” and spark up a conversation. If you’re sleeping, away from your room, or listening to headphones, it’s probably best to keep the door shut and locked. Safety first of course!
4. Find an on-campus job or internship!
There are a TON of student-worker opportunities just waiting for you to apply. You’ll make friends with your coworkers, “customers” or other students, and add to your resume at the same time! Check out handshake for job openings and chances for you to make some friends while making a little extra spending money at the same time.
5. Look for people who bring out the best in you! 👀
Make sure the people you surround yourself with are people that make you a better person. A friend or group of friends should be people who you are truly comfortable with, people who you trust, and people who bring out the best version of you.
Your college years are going to be filled with many friends, some will come and go and others will stay with you after graduation. Ultimately, remember that the first friends you make might not be with you until the very end, but that’s okay! There are lots of other friends out there just waiting to meet you!
Have any tips on making friends or meeting new people during college? Share them with us at Social@nau.edu and get out there and get to friending!
