One of the hardest things to overcome in life is the challenge of making new friends, which is what makes college so daunting for so many. It’s just an overwhelming concept. Everything about it can make even the most extroverted person’s hands sweat profusely (and no one likes sweaty hands!). It doesn’t matter whether you are just starting out, or you have a new set of classes this semester, etc.; it can be really scary.

Luckily for you, pretty much everyone is in the exact same boat, unless they have literally no anxiety about making new friends. They may look like they’re swanning around with all of the confidence of a young Sophia Loren but, instead, they are panicking just the same because college is scary. That’s why you should take the first friendship step! But, if you’re not exactly sure how to start, here’s a few ideas for you to explore:

Say ‘Hi’ Every Time You Sit Down: We don’t mean say ‘hi’ to yourself every time you sit down because that probably won’t help you make new friends. We mean, say ‘hi’ to the person next to you. Ask them how they’re doing, how their weekend was, what they think of the professor’s paisley patterned suit. It’ll be seven seconds of awkwardness that could blossom into a lifetime of BFFing.

Have A (Secret) New Friend Calendar: You don’t have to have an actual calendar for this, although it could be fun to look back on in the future. All we want you to do is to meet someone new every day. Set yourself that challenge and see what happens. It doesn’t matter where, it just matters that you do. Statistically, some of them are going to be immensely like-minded people and if not, there’s always tomorrow to try again!

Sign Up For A Team: When you think of a team, you are probably thinking of a sports team; like cheerleading or football. But it doesn’t have to be sports. It could be a debating team, a chess team, an acapella singing team. It could be anything that resembles a team because a team suggests more than one person. Even a study group could qualify as a team, minus the fancy jackets. So whatever it is that you are interested in, go for it. You may hate it, you may love it, but you could meet your best friend because of it.

Do Your Work In A Campus Coffee Shop: If you’re shocked that going to college means doing homework, then college probably isn’t for you. Anyways, when it comes to doing the work set after each class, you should do some part of it – planning, writing, or research – in one of the campus coffee shops. Why? Let’s put it this way, you are not going to meet anyone if you do all of your studying in your room. Coffee shops, however, offer the perfect chance to fall into a conversation with someone around you – especially if you both frequent the same place often.

Get A Job Somewhere: The nice thing about college campuses is that there is the chance to earn a little bit of cash. It could be working in one of said coffee shops, for the college newspaper, in the research lab, or whatever. The point is, a lot of jobs are a great place  for networking, which is just a business term for making friends. A job requires you to be somewhere at a specified time with the same people, so you are going to get to know them without having to step outside of your comfort zone to start up a chatter with a stranger. Clever.

Alright introverts, let’s unite! But in our own rooms with the door shut. JK. Get out there, take a deep breath, and make some new friends around your college campus. 😀

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