Heading off to college can be a daunting time for anyone. You are leaving behind your friends, family, home, the area you grew up in and know inside out, and going somewhere entirely new. You may only have visited your college once before, and the town or city it’s in could be totally unknown. What you’re going to need are some friends who can help you settle in, talk about your fears with, and have a lot of fun together. Here’s how to make great friends in college.
Be yourself
Be yourself. It may be an old adage, but it holds true today. It doesn’t matter where in the country (or even in the world) you attend college, there will be people there who have similar likes and dislikes to you.
They will enjoy some of the same hobbies and interests. These are the people you will bond easily with because they are the ones you have most in common with. It is these friendships that can stand the test of time.
Here is why it is important to be yourself. If you pretend to be someone and something that you’re not, you won’t form relationships with those who are right for you. Instead, you’ll become acquaintances with people who you will drift away from after a while because you have nothing in common.
Make friends by joining college clubs
Every college will have a wide range of interesting clubs and extracurricular activities to join in with. Consider signing up for some of them.
But, not too many as you’ll find you’re overwhelmed and won’t enjoy them as much and have fun. Whether it’s an art class, music, movies, gaming, food, or just about anything else, it means that you’ll have at least one thing in common with the other people there.
Take the time to get to know those who are in clubs with you. They could become lifelong friends.
Use food to make great friends in college
People have always bonded over food. Whether it’s a shared love of pizza or a dislike of cilantro, there is something special about eating together. It brings people closer.
If you can cook the food together too, it’s even better. Creating a great meal is a wonderful way to get close to people and find out more about them. If you’re sitting around a table eating home-cooked food, you’re not worried about your classes or your assignments. Instead, you’re simply living in the moment.
So, in addition to making friends, you’re being mindful and relaxed. That is good for your overall well-being.
Reach out to someone new each day
Make it your mission to speak to at least one new person every day. You might not end up liking all of them (and they might not like you), but if you don’t try, you’ll never know.
You will see people everywhere that you have never seen before, especially if your college is one of the bigger ones. That means it’s easy to find someone new to have a conversation with.
To help make starting a conversation easier, have a range of lines ready in your head to help ease into a dialogue. If this seems difficult, you could practice talking at chatlinedating.com/latino. As with most things, when you practice, it becomes easier. Remember, the more people you meet, the more friends you are likely to find.