No one wants to feel alone in college. Sadly, that is the case for more people than one, including myself. It’s OK to admit that you feel alone. College is a huge transition and some people take it harder than others. It’s hard making new friends. It’s hard to find those connections. It’s hard, but not impossible. You are not alone in this search, my dear friend. Here are some tips that will (hopefully) make your search a lot easier.
Go to the activities fair in the beginning of each semester.
Usually at colleges, they hold an activities fair that will help you get involved in an activity, group, or club that may interest you. Some of these may include a cappella groups, chess clubs, clubs for your major, and four week programs that may be interesting. The activities fair is super informational and will guide you to finding something that works for you!
Join a sorority or fraternity.
If your college offers Greek life, why don’t you go give it a try? There are tons of perks for being a part of Greek life, and it could enhance your college experience extremely. You will meet so many different people and have the chance to grow a friendship with them. Word of advice if you do decide to join one… make sure you have the funds available to join and stay active. Some fraternities or sororities can be very expensive, so always be on top of that so you don’t need to stress about it!
Get involved with your major.
Nothing feels better than meeting people who have the same interests as you. If you have already declared your major, getting involved with your major can bring you to those people! Whether it’s actively attending class or going to your major’s club, you’ll be surrounded by people who may care about the same things as you do.
Step out of your comfort zone.
Sounds risky, but simply talking to people you sit by in class may give you a lifetime of friendship! Perks of that is they can be your study buddy when exams come around! Other ideas for stepping out of your comfort zone are to randomly sit by people in lunch or ask someone you're interested in knowing to grab a coffee with you. College is all about trying new things and learning from those experiences, so it’s not a bad idea to step out of your comfort zone when meeting new people!
Never give up.
The worst part of feeling alone is the idea that you’re going to stay like that forever. Do not have that mindset! You have the ability to change the situation. Just remember what makes you a good friend and project that to everyone you meet! Soon enough, people will be dying to be your friend.
Like I said, you’re not in this alone. Making friends takes time, and I hope the ideas I gave will help in that quest. So go out and find friends! Sure, it may seem like it’s taking forever, but in the end it’s definitely worth it.
