I feel like I should start out by introducing myself as I am new to both Odyssey and Eau Claire communities. Hello everyone, I am Olivia Brown and I am a transfer student from UW - Madison. For many of you, this is probably your first time ever hearing my name. For me that has been the hardest part about being a transfer student, getting my name out there and meeting friends. If you are a fellow transfer student, a freshman, or even a returning student just wanting to make more connections, here are the five things I have discovered that work the best as I have being trying to meet people this school year.

5. Get involved in the things you're passionate about.

Birds of a feather flock together. By going out and doing the things you love you are going to come across people that have the same passions and interests as you (meeting people that love playing volleyball at club volleyball tryout WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK). So go out and join the clubs that you find fascinating or fun even if they might not be the best resume builders because that’s where you are going to meet the people that are like you.

4. Be Creepy

We’ve all have that story of that person we just really hit it off with but then completely forgot to get their contact information and never see them again. Instead of missing out on a great friendship or hopelessly waiting on missed connections for them to respond to your post, BE CREEPY! Use social media for what it’s designed for, to connect with people! Facebook stalk them and reach out on messenger. I can’t tell you the number of messages I have sent this semester that start out with “I hope you don’t find this creepy but…” I have yet to come across someone that isn’t happy I found them on Facebook because they wished they had gotten my number as well.

3. Be outgoing

I know what I suggest sounds terrifying for some of you and you probably think that I must be a naturally out going person so suggesting things like putting yourself out there is so easy for me to say. I’m not though, in high school I was the girl that sat by the phone waiting for that call to do something because I was too shy to take the initiative myself. So I sat by my phone a lot. I realized quickly that being the girl that waited was going to have to be the first thing to go if I wanted to start making friends. Coming in sophomore year many already friendships from last year so they are less motivated to put themselves out there. You have to be the one to be bold and make the first move. Once I figured this out, making connections started happening more frequently.

2. Be Vulnerable

I'm going to be real. I did not make very many connections in Eau Claire my first few weeks here. I was lonely and starting to think maybe I don’t fit in here so I laid it all out on the line. I went on the Class of 2020 Facebook page posted that I was struggling to meet friends and would love to get coffee or even just study with people. Posting online to a bunch of strangers that I was lonely was one of the boldest things I've ever done in my life, but it was worth it. So many people have reached out to me since then and I now am starting to feel like I belong here.

1. Give it time

If you are an instant gratification type of person like me, this part can be my most discouraging. Remember that college is filled with a variety of people and every day you run into someone you haven’t come across on campus yet. So just because you didn’t meet your best friend in the first month of school doesn’t mean they aren’t out there, it doesn’t mean that you don’t fit in here, and it doesn’t mean you’ll be alone forever.