When you go away to college, you leave behind old friends from high school and from your childhood. You leave the comfort and stability of your home and your family to delve into a new and exciting world of dorm rooms and strangers. It is not unnatural to feel scared and unsure of yourself. Many people have formed friendships as children that they have maintained all of their life, and so going away to college and trying to make new friends can seem very daunting. Don’t worry, though. There are going to be so many freshman at your college that are experiencing the same emotions and anxieties as you are, and therefore you will already have some common ground with these strangers.
The first friend that you should try to make as a college freshman is your roommate. Even if the two of you seem to have nothing in common based on your sense of fashion or your tastes in music, you should give your friendship a chance. This could be your opportunity to make a friend who is very different than yourself, and variety is the spice of life. The college experience is all about trying new things and growing into your adult self. You and your roommate may end up being great friends for the rest of your life, but even if you don’t, you at least want to make this first year as enjoyable as possible. You have probably heard horror stories about horrible college roommates, but don’t let your preconceptions hinder your potential for making a great new pal. If you are a shy person, try to step out of your comfort zone to break the ice with your roommate. Ask him or her out for pizza or something. Talk about your hometown, your family, friends, etc., and ask about his or hers. You two might have more in common than you would have thought. Of course, it is possible that the worst case scenario will be true, and your roommate will be the complete opposite of what you would have wanted. In that case, you still shouldn’t despair. There are plenty of other ways to make friends as a college freshman, and in the long run, this bad roommate experience will be a funny story.
You can make friends as a college freshman by joining some clubs or college organizations. If you join clubs that appeal to your special interests, then you are bound to meet some friends that you will have something in common with. Fraternities and sororities are not for everyone, but if you are open to the idea, you could make a lot of friends in a relatively short period of time by rushing. There are several different styles of fraternities and sororities, and believe it or not, they are not all built exclusively on drinking and partying. If you played an instrument in high school, you could try out for a college band. Most colleges will have a jazz band and a wind ensemble, and some even offer marching bands and pit bands for school musicals. Even if your college major has nothing to do with music, you can still have fun playing your instrument with friends. You could also try your luck at writing for the school newspaper, or you could audition for a play that the drama department is sponsoring. The extracurricular activities that you choose do not necessarily have to be associated with your course of study; just do something that you think you will have fun doing so that you can make friends.
Another way to make friends is to just plain actively pursue them. Go to the cafeteria, look for a friendly face, and go sit down and introduce yourself. It isn’t going to seem strange – everyone has been in your boat, trying to meet people, being the new guy or gal on campus. The halls of campus buildings are filled with potential new friends. If you are sitting in a class, and someone says something that you think is smart or funny, you should introduce yourself after class. Take advantage of every opportunity to get to know your classmates, because the sooner that you make friends at college, the sooner you will feel comfortable and happy there.
