How to Make Friends in College

When I first entered school at the amazing age of five, I was a pro at making friends. I could walk up to the other kids on the playground and simply say, “Hi, we should play with this tractor together!” and just like that, friends. College, however, doesn’t seem to be that simple for myself, and many other students. There are so many ways to make friends in the first year of college, whether it be extracurricular activities, living in the dorms, or going to classes. The easiest way to say it though is to simply just find your “tractor.”

When I say find your “tractor” I mean find one thing you enjoy, then look for someone else who enjoys it as much as you do. Many students enjoy intramural sports and clubs on their campus. I highly recommend getting involved on campus as much as you can! Colleges have clubs for every hobby, sport, and leisure event you can think of. Surrounding yourself with people who enjoy the same things as you do is always a surefire way to make a friend or two.

Many colleges require living on campus for freshmen, which brings on so many opportunities. Floor meetings are good for getting to know the people you’re going to spend your school year with and for getting an idea of what other people on your floor enjoy. Sometimes, giving up the tractor to play a board game or something to that effect is fun too! Finding friends who will push you out of your comfort zone and make you try new things will help you grow as a person and get the best experiences out of life.

Going to class is a very important part of college. If you are like me, you would much rather stay in bed and watch Hulu than go to class; however, you might want to think twice about that. Similar to living in the dorms, the people in your classes will essentially be in class with you until the end of the semester. Why make class boring and miserable when you can make friends who keep class interesting? While focusing in class is the main priority, studies show that when students are having fun they typically learn better. Aside from teachers who include games and group activities, students who make friends are sometimes less afraid to take part in the class discussion.

Finally, the last step to making friends in your freshman year of college is: be yourself. No one will judge you for being yourself if you find the right friends. If you enjoy music and playing an instrument, find a music major to be friends with. Is it watching football you like the most? Find someone at a football game and don’t be afraid to talk to them. Being yourself, around new people will attract the right friends to be in your college squad.

It may not be as easy as picking up a tractor to play with, but it isn’t exactly rocket science either. As young adults, making friends should never be our biggest fear. Simply go to class, get involved, find friends, and create the best memories from your college experience.