How to Make Friends in College
Join a club or two., Join an intramural or club sports team., Get a job., Take an elective., Don't be too cool for Facebook., Volunteer., Consider rushing a fraternity or a sorority.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Join a club or two.
This is the easiest and most effective way to meet new people with similar interests.
Don't be afraid of going by yourself.
That is the only way you can get to know people in a personal level, especially in these huge universities.
Smaller colleges and community colleges may not have as many clubs, but if they do, they are related mainly to a technical program.
During the first weeks everyone is going by themselves.
If you are joining late, just remember that most groups will be very happy to show you around.
You could try a group relating to your interests, or a totally random club.
Check your college website, Facebook profiles, and flyers around the school for when clubs meet and what clubs you can join.
You can start your own club too.
Most colleges have a club fair on the second or third week of school.
Don't be "too cool" to check this out.
You'll get a sense of what type of people are in each club just by talking to the representatives at each booth. -
Step 2: Join an intramural or club sports team.
Sports are a great way to meet new people because you all have a common goal.
If you don't like the stress of intercollegiate sports, you can go into inter-murals.
You spend a lot of time together practicing and it helps develop teamwork.
Most of the time your team does turn into family.
If you are not athletic, try going into something like theatre or music.
If you were obsessed with your high school tennis team and have joined a club team, you won't have the same level of commitment and team work.
Still, you can meet some great friends this way. , Often, finding a position as a tour guide or a clerk in the bookstore will allow you to form common bonds with your coworkers which could reward you with new friendships, and a little spending money.
You can do it outside the college too.
Pick a job where a lot of students or people your age are likely to work.
If you work at a day care center, you won't meet as many friends as you would at a high-school tutoring center. , Electives (especially the ones that are lab based) are a great way to make new friends.
If you are interested in music, try taking band or choir, or some music production course.
If you have a passion for art, take an art class.
If you are interested in athletics, take a bowling or weightlifting class.
If you really like health care, take a psychology or biology course.
But don't overdo it and try to keep your classes related to your major.
You can also pick classes that are more socially-oriented.
Classes with a lot of discussion and group work, along with coursework that requires interacting with new people may help.
That include communication, sociology, psychology, political science, etc. , This is not the time to be original.
If you're not on Facebook, the people you meet are much less likely to remember you, to stay connected with you, and to invite you to their events.
With the modern era of the Internet, when you are sitting on here finding out how to make friends in college, add some people in your college or your community
-- after you've met them, that is.
Join campus groups on Facebook with common interests and you can meet some new friends that way.
Being reasonably active on Facebook after you've made a bunch of new Facebook friends will keep you on their radar.
Just don't spend more than 15-30 minutes a day on Facebook or you'll be missing out on the time you can spend socializing in the real world. , Volunteering at a local soup kitchen or animal shelter, or even at your college, is a great way to meet new people or make friends.
It will also look great on your resume and will help you get a job.
Volunteering through Circle K or another volunteer organization on campus will make you even more likely to make friends. , Joining Greek life is definitely not for everybody, but don't knock it until you try it.
On some college campuses, Greek life is a major part of the social scene, and you can be missing out on a major opportunity to make lifelong friends just because you're skeptical of the rush process.
On other campuses, Greek life only makes up a small minority of student activities
-- still, it could be a fantastic way to make friends.
Greek rush is about meeting people that you click with, which is basically like speed friend-dating.
If you get the wrong vibe from a sorority, no one will force you to join it.
Even if you don't end up landing in the sorority or fraternity of your dreams, you can make a lot of great friends through the rushing process. -
Step 3: Get a job.
-
Step 4: Take an elective.
-
Step 5: Don't be too cool for Facebook.
-
Step 6: Volunteer.
-
Step 7: Consider rushing a fraternity or a sorority.
Detailed Guide
This is the easiest and most effective way to meet new people with similar interests.
Don't be afraid of going by yourself.
That is the only way you can get to know people in a personal level, especially in these huge universities.
Smaller colleges and community colleges may not have as many clubs, but if they do, they are related mainly to a technical program.
During the first weeks everyone is going by themselves.
If you are joining late, just remember that most groups will be very happy to show you around.
You could try a group relating to your interests, or a totally random club.
Check your college website, Facebook profiles, and flyers around the school for when clubs meet and what clubs you can join.
You can start your own club too.
Most colleges have a club fair on the second or third week of school.
Don't be "too cool" to check this out.
You'll get a sense of what type of people are in each club just by talking to the representatives at each booth.
Sports are a great way to meet new people because you all have a common goal.
If you don't like the stress of intercollegiate sports, you can go into inter-murals.
You spend a lot of time together practicing and it helps develop teamwork.
Most of the time your team does turn into family.
If you are not athletic, try going into something like theatre or music.
If you were obsessed with your high school tennis team and have joined a club team, you won't have the same level of commitment and team work.
Still, you can meet some great friends this way. , Often, finding a position as a tour guide or a clerk in the bookstore will allow you to form common bonds with your coworkers which could reward you with new friendships, and a little spending money.
You can do it outside the college too.
Pick a job where a lot of students or people your age are likely to work.
If you work at a day care center, you won't meet as many friends as you would at a high-school tutoring center. , Electives (especially the ones that are lab based) are a great way to make new friends.
If you are interested in music, try taking band or choir, or some music production course.
If you have a passion for art, take an art class.
If you are interested in athletics, take a bowling or weightlifting class.
If you really like health care, take a psychology or biology course.
But don't overdo it and try to keep your classes related to your major.
You can also pick classes that are more socially-oriented.
Classes with a lot of discussion and group work, along with coursework that requires interacting with new people may help.
That include communication, sociology, psychology, political science, etc. , This is not the time to be original.
If you're not on Facebook, the people you meet are much less likely to remember you, to stay connected with you, and to invite you to their events.
With the modern era of the Internet, when you are sitting on here finding out how to make friends in college, add some people in your college or your community
-- after you've met them, that is.
Join campus groups on Facebook with common interests and you can meet some new friends that way.
Being reasonably active on Facebook after you've made a bunch of new Facebook friends will keep you on their radar.
Just don't spend more than 15-30 minutes a day on Facebook or you'll be missing out on the time you can spend socializing in the real world. , Volunteering at a local soup kitchen or animal shelter, or even at your college, is a great way to meet new people or make friends.
It will also look great on your resume and will help you get a job.
Volunteering through Circle K or another volunteer organization on campus will make you even more likely to make friends. , Joining Greek life is definitely not for everybody, but don't knock it until you try it.
On some college campuses, Greek life is a major part of the social scene, and you can be missing out on a major opportunity to make lifelong friends just because you're skeptical of the rush process.
On other campuses, Greek life only makes up a small minority of student activities
-- still, it could be a fantastic way to make friends.
Greek rush is about meeting people that you click with, which is basically like speed friend-dating.
If you get the wrong vibe from a sorority, no one will force you to join it.
Even if you don't end up landing in the sorority or fraternity of your dreams, you can make a lot of great friends through the rushing process.
About the Author
Ronald Sullivan
A passionate writer with expertise in creative arts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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