The beginning of your college life is hard. Like, really hard. It's basically like going through that awkward phase you had as a preteen all over again, but times 10. You may be going to a college 20 minutes from your home town or 12 hours away, but regardless, the one thing that must be established is a few solid friends that you can depend on to grab lunch with, complain about professors to, and then go party with on the weekends. Doesn't sound too hard, right? Wrong. Even though you're surrounded by thousands upon thousands of people, finding a few that really get you can be extremely difficult. I'm going to go ahead and outline some of the friends, good or bad, that you'll meet in your first year of college.
Your Roommate
Whether you want to or not, you are likely to form some kind of friendship with your roommate. This is the person you are living in your cozy, prison cell of a dorm room with for the entire year. In some cases, your roommate can be your absolute closest friend, and in others, they're simply someone you tolerate. Although you may not have the same major or interests as your roommate, its someone that's always there (figuratively and literally) for you to talk to. Whether you and your roommate are BFFs or frenemies, they're a good, reliable person that you should appreciate. Even though you may have your differences, you have to live with them regardless, so ya might as well learn to love them. Your roommate is a solid friend to keep by your side.
Your Friends From Home
Many college students go to school far away to escape the drama and undesirables in their hometown, but it's difficult to just completely drop your friend group from home. Although branching out and finding new friends at college is important, it is crucial to remember how great your friends from home were to you. These are the people that you likely spent elementary, middle, and high school with and know you better than anyone else. They're probably some of the most dependable friends that you have. However, you can't rely on them to be there all the time when you're hours away. Nevertheless, this shouldn't stop you from inviting them down a few weekends, chilling, and then going and throwing down at your favorite club or house party. Immersing them in the environment of your school is a fun time and they'll appreciate you thinking enough about them to invite them down for a weekend. These people will likely be friends for life; appreciate, cherish, and love them.
The Parasite
This friend is one that you will likely meet in your first few weeks of college and then will never see again. They seem great for the first week or two, and really, they are. But then you quickly realize their not-so-hidden agenda; they want to suck you dry of your resources and leave you out to dry. They like you not for you, but for whatever you offer to them. Whether it be your willingness to help with their homework, the connections you have, or the fact that you have a car, they will leech onto you and come along for the ride. If you're struggling to meet some new people, you might see The Parasite as a real friend, but don't be mistaken. Keep them at arm's length and you'll be safe. They may be a parasite, but don't let yourself become their host.
The Class Companions
These are the friends that you'll make simply because you have class with them. Much like your roommate, you're likely to form some kind of bond with them, purely because they're the people that will always be around. These people will be your go-to's for getting a coffee, grabbing some food after class with, or just generally hanging out with during the week. They're not necessarily who you go out with on the weekends or make a point to hang out with, but they're a good, solid, reliable bunch. You can complain about the others in your class, talk about relationships, and just generally be open with them. The best part about these friends is that, unlike your roommate, you can go your separate ways at the end of the day. Because you're not spending all of your free time with them, it doesn't allow any kind of annoyance for them to form (ideally). These are consistent, kind people who you will have for at least a semester, and hopefully more if you like them enough.
Your Fraternity Brothers and Sorority Sisters
While Greek life isn't for everyone, the ones that choose to join a fraternity or sorority can't deny that your new brothers and sisters are some of the closest friends you'll make in college and will be connections you keep for life. When broken down to its core, fraternities and sororities are just a group of like-minded people who value the same things, making rushing a great way to meet some new people you know you'll get along with. Though you might hit some speedbumps along the way, what friendship doesn't? Besides, merging yourself into any already established group of strong personalities kind of lends itself to some difficulties. Not only will you create bonds throughout your time in school, but these connections will follow through into your adult life. Connecting with other alumni in your area isn't only a way to make friends, but can even score you that job applied for. Although a fraternity or sorority isn't for everyone, maybe it's for you!
The Realest
Now we're getting into the real meat of the student population. While these friends are far and few between, these are the ones you definitely want to seek out and hold onto. While these ones are harder to find, the best part about them is that they can be found in nearly all walks of your college experience. The Realest might be your roommate, an average joe you meet in class, a friend from home, a fraternity brother or sorority sister, or anything in between. They're the ones you can go to for anything and everything. A step up from The Class Companion, The Realest are ones that you spend most of your time with, and instead of skipping around small talk like what you got on your last paper and the awful hangover you had last weekend, you talk about the real problems you have going on. They like you for you and will support you in anything you might be going through. These will be friends for years to come and the ones you'll make a point to keep in touch with after everyone goes their separate ways, or even move across the country with to start your adult lives. And who knows, maybe this person will be the Chandler to your Monica, or the Rachel to your Ross… Regardless as to where you find your realest, for all that is holy, HOLD ON TO THEM.
The moral of all of this is to cherish the real friends that you do make, because, frankly, people are inherently awful. The ones that are legitimately excited and glad to see and hang out with you are the ones that you should hang onto. One final note that I want to make is, if you're having difficulty making or keeping friends, keep your head up. Everyone can relate to what it feels like to feel lonely and sad on a Friday night, so learn from others' mistakes. Don't have anyone to go out with? Throw on your best outfit and go make friends with the drunk people in line outside the club. Don't accept and wallow in your sadness because it can consume you so easily. Now, go out and talk to someone!
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