Having a good floor can be the difference between a good year at college and a great year. If you’re going to be living with the same group of people for at least a year, why not get to know them? Here are some tips to help you out.
1. Keep your door open
If you can, try and keep your door open! An open door is an invitation for conversation. It lets people know that you’re free to talk and usually people do stop by, especially during the first few weeks of school.
2. Use your common space
Most universities have a common room of sorts for residents to get together. If you have this space, take advantage of it. Not only is it a great hangout spot for leaisure or a needed group study session, but it is also a place for your floor to get to know eachother. Decorate the area and allow everyone to add their personal little touch. It’ll make the space more friendly and homey.
3. Create a group chat
Having a group chat makes communication between floormates much easier and is a great way to keep everyone included. You can use it as a tool to share information, like an upcoming concert, or to make plans, big or small. No one likes to go to the Dining Hall alone, so just pop a message in the group chat and more often than not someone will probably join you! Some great apps for chats with a large amount of people include Wechat, GroupMe and WhatsApp.
4. Bonding Activities
Using your handy dandy group chat, come up with activities for your floor to do. While it’s doubtful everyone will always have the time to participate, having a variety of activities is a great way to meet people with similar interests. You can do activities in the dorm such as a game night in the common room, or even do some off-campus activities like exploring the city or going to a museum.
5. Food. Always food.
And, if all else fails? Food. As college students, we are very attracted to the idea of free food. So have some snacks lying around— M&Ms are always a classic. If you’re feeling particularly generous, order a pizza and share it in the common room. Either way, food is always a great starting point!
These are just a few of the many things you can do to get to know the people on your floor. The most important thing though, as cliché as it sounds, is to be yourself. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!