How to Make Friends In College: Your Go-To Guide

Do you remember how you made the friends you have now? Did you meet them at a concert or a party? What was that first conversation like?

It’s funny how this happens. The best types of friendships form naturally and organically.

What happens if you are in a transitional period in your life? What to do if you are small fish in a big ocean? While the landscape may seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be.

Heading off to college is an intimidating endeavor. On top of everything else, you’ll want to learn how to make friends in college. What are the best ways to do so?

We have compiled a list to make your college experience that much richer. Read below and see how social you become!

How to Be

Knowing how to be is the first step on your journey. The key is to focus on having fun and not taking yourself too seriously. Below are some ways to make the process smoother.

Yourself

It’s a cliche expression for a reason: “be yourself”. What does this mean, though? How can you be yourself around new people at school?

The thing to remember is that people are naturally drawn to those who have similar interests. By expressing this and your personality, you will attract the right friends.

This is one sure-fire way to learn how to make friends in college. Nobody wants to be around a phony. Start your friendships off on the right foot and be free to express your natural state.

It is also important to note that when you are yourself, you will repel those who do not align with who you are. You can’t be friends with everyone.

Friendly

Sometimes being nice is all it takes. Offer a friendly smile and see where it takes you.

You want to find the right balance here. You don’t want to come across as a people-pleaser. Focus on your attitude and be a positive force in other people’s lives.

When you care for others, you will make them feel good as well as yourself. People will want to hang out with you and look forward to it as well.

Introvert vs Extrovert

Which type of person are you on the scale of introvert vs extrovert? Both personality traits have their strengths and weaknesses.

Making friends as an extrovert is probably the easier route. You naturally can be the life of the party and attract the friends you want. As an introvert, this can be somewhat of a challenge.

Try not to label yourself one or the other. See them as personas you can flip between. If you tip more on the introverted side, you could put on your extroverted hat when it’s time to do so. This is easier said than done, but see how it works for you.

If, however, you deal with social anxiety, check out this article for something to help your mind when socializing.

Where to Look

Knowing where to look is the second step. The good news is that it’s not difficult to find them, as your peers are all around you. Some places make the process more effortless, though.

Dorm

If you’re wondering how to find friends in college, you don’t have to go very far. Your dorm makes things easy because everyone is there, to begin with. The dorms spawn spontaneous social encounters and interactions.

You already are in the same boat. This lowers and lessens the sense of perceived threat of “strangers”. Going through the same thing together is a wonderful jumping-off point. Have conversations about class, homework, and who you think is cute.

You’ll find plenty of peers working on assignments, lounging, or playing video games.

Events

You will find tons of events to go to in and around campus. When wondering how to make friends in college, events are a great place to start. This is because you will already have something to talk about.

Introverts and extroverts will feel right at home. Social media has made discovering events around campus that much easier. You will also find plenty of posters and advertisements plastered on events boards as well.

Below are examples of some events you may find at college:

TEDx
Music festivals
Dances
Karaoke
Guest speakers
Protests

It’s easy to get overwhelmed will all of the choices. There will be something to do every day and night.

Choose wisely and you will be well on your way. Who knows, perhaps one day you will host an event titled “How to Make Friends at College”.

Organizations

Learning how to adapt to college comes with its challenges. An easy way to transition is by joining an organization or club. From playing a sport to getting around a social issue, or focusing on a career, you will find a club for it.

The cool thing about clubs is that they meet regularly with the same people. This makes forming friendships more routine. Seeing the same faces week after week will make things that much easier for you.

Don’t try to do too much at once. Seek to join 1-3 clubs, as you don’t want to overwhelm yourself on top of class and other obligations.

Class

Eat, sleep, class, repeat. You are spending a lot of your waking hours in class. If you’re wanting to know how to meet people in college, your classes make for a great opportunity.

Some classes make forming friendships easier. Classes, where you need to buddy up with 1 or more people, offer a unique experience. Are you in lab or have classes with group projects?

You will learn to work together and will reap the social benefits as well.

Online

These days, meeting people online is commonplace. This is a great way to meet people before school even starts.

Join a Facebook group associated with your school or a particular class. This is helpful for those who are introverted or shy. Before the semester even starts, you will have a bunch of friends to talk to.

This takes some of the guesswork out of learning how to make new friends in college.