The first semester of college life can be scary, especially when it comes to socializing and making new friends. 

Many incoming college freshmen face similar social struggles when adjusting to college life. After high school, most teens say goodbye to their hometown friends, as they prepare to leave for college. These students are put in a whole new environment of people and have to make a completely new group of friends. Making friends at college can be tough, but reaching out in certain ways can help make this process a little easier. 

Cleveland University states, “If making friends is a bit difficult for you, remember that others at your university are facing the same challenges as you. If you’ve moved away for college, you know what it’s like getting comfortable in a new environment.”

One way to easily make college friends is to join local clubs or recreational sports available at the school. These activities bring people together, as students will get the time to meet other people around campus. In addition, clubs and sports will bring people of similar interest together, as they all share commonalities in the activity. Group activities could help break the ice when meeting people, as members or teammates could bond over their joy over the activity.

According to UC Berkeley, “Lastly, join a club or two that sounds interesting to you! It could be related to a favorite hobby or just about anything. There are so many clubs on campus filled with people that have similar interests as you.”

Another way to meet new people at college is to reach out to others living on the same floor. A group living on the same floor will most likely see each other often compared to others on campus. This is an easy way to make new friends, as these people are within walking distance of each other. Meeting other students on the same floor can be easy for meetups and hangouts as everyone lives near each other. 

According to the University of Northern Colorado, “These are the people you’ll meet in your residence halls. These are the friends who’ll live across the hallway, downstairs on the second floor, or even in your room.”

Before arriving at college, a great way to meet new people is to add students on social media. Instagram and Snapchat are some of the multiple platforms that could be used to find other freshmen attending the specific college. Social media allows students to slowly delve into the social aspect of college. It also gives opportunities to fully meet other people without feeling overwhelmed when first arriving at college. 

Senior Ava Mokrzecki states, “Social media has helped me reach out to potential friends who I would not have been able to meet in person. Without social media, I would not have the headstart in meeting new people attending my college.”

College is the time to make new friends and have fun experiences. However, the start of freshman year can be the most difficult when attempting to socialize. By branching out and taking social risks, teens may feel less pressure to find friendships, while being able to form natural bonds with others.