How to Make Friends in College

In college, making friends can be the hardest part of the experience. Indeed, it seems like you are either too busy studying or too busy going to class to actually meet anyone interesting. Of course, though, having a healthy social life is critical to enjoying your time in college.

Having a social life is not only enjoyable – it is also a way to reduce your stress. Without it, you may start to feel withdrawn. It is also important to note that college is not like high school – it is actually much easier to meet friends than you think. Here is how to make friends in college.

Project Confidence

One of the best ways to meet people is to be confident. With confidence you can feel comfortable introducing yourself to strangers and reducing social anxiety. Of course, being confident is not as easy for some people, so you may want to focus on some ways to appear more confident. For instance, you may want to stand up straight and annunciate when you speak. After all, going to college is a great chance to reinvent yourself.

Ask lots of Questions

When you meet other people, you could talk about yourself the entire conversation, but that can get boring, especially for the person you are trying to befriend. Plus, when you talk about yourself, you can sometimes sound a little conceited. This is exactly why you want to ask questions and let the other person talk. People like it when others are genuinely interested in what they do. After you ask a few questions, you can then talk about yourself – its only fair. This is a great way to establish an equitable friendship and meet lots of acquaintances. Of course, you probably might not meet your best friend right away, but you will meet a few different people that will be fun to hang out with on occasion.

Be Yourself

When you are at a party or if you are out and about on campus, you want to make sure to be yourself. The more genuine you are, the more honest you will come off and more relaxed you will be. It is important to understand that people can pick up on the fact that you are being phony, which is the last thing you want when you are trying to make friends.

Attend Parties

Once you start to meet people, you will probably start to get invited to a lot of parties and social events. This is only natural in college. Even if you are taking Rutgers’ online MSW program, it is important to get out and go to parties, because you want to be able to get out of the house as much as possible. Plus, the more parties you go to, the more friends you’ll meet.

Live in the Dorms

On top of everything, you may want to opt to live in the dorms. This will help you meet people all the time. For instance, you may become fast friends with your roommate, especially if you fill out a roommate matching form. In the end, the dorm is a great place to boost your social life.