We’re now into the first semester or quarter of the school year and times are tough. We’re living in a pandemic and it has drastically changed the way we live our everyday lives. For college freshmen, this is an exciting period in their lives. They’re leaving home for the first time, adjusting to the college lifestyle, and making new friends. As an out of state student, my biggest worry was not making any friends and not getting along with my roommate. I was scared that I would be alone and not have anyone, that I would be stuck in my dorm room by myself the whole year.
For my fellow introverts, making new friends is a challenging part of going to school. I cannot imagine what it’s like to go to school not knowing anyone and trying to make friends while having to socially distance, not being allowed to have people in your dorm room, or not being able to go to athletic or club events in person. According to Mitch Prinstein, a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC, “the social relationships we have in college are incredibly formative for establishing who you will become. Peers play an incredibly important role in shaping what we do in college, what we believe, and how we spend our time. ” It is an unfavorable situation to say the least, but we must make do with that we have, so my friends and I have come up with a few ways for you to make friends during your freshman year while staying safe.
The first way you can meet people is to join an activity. The possibilities for this are endless. If you attend a school with Greek life, join Greek life. Whether you’re at a PWI or an HBCU, it is a great way to meet people who are similar to you and share the same values as you. If Greek life isn’t for you, there are so many other clubs that you can join, such as honor societies, club sports, clubs for your major, etc. The possibilities for activities are endless, and they can help you connect with people, with networking after college, and learn about yourself and grow as a person.
For people who are outgoing and feel bold, the second way you can make friends is asking people in your classes/breakout rooms if they want to form a small study group. Not only will this help you with school and help you meet people, the people in your study group might introduce you to some of their friends as well which couldn’t hurt.
But, if these options seem like too much for you, there are always activities you could do with just your roommates/suite mates. You can have a move night or cook dinner, and if your roommates happens to have other friends at the school you can invite them and hang out in the common room, as long as it’s allowed. And for the people who have their own room, the two places in my dorm where I made the most friends were the common room and the bathroom. Strike up a conversation with someone because you’re all in the same situation and you never know who else is looking to make friends, but make sure to socially distance and wear your masks.
No matter how many friends you have or how much it looks like people are enjoying freshman year, everyone will feel alone at one point and that’s normal. It’s not bad to be alone sometimes, it’s normal for some of us need our alone time. Learn to appreciate it and do stuff you enjoy to take your mind off of it.
You only get one college experience and it’s not going to be smooth sailing all the time. It’s going to be exhausting at some points and you’re going to question why you’re here in the first place, but you’ll get through it and try to make it the best experience possible no matter what.