For some, going to college is the first time in a while that they’ve had to make a new friend. Even if you find it easy to strike up a conversation with a peer, college is a completely new landscape for relationships. However, the changes and the freedom that comes with being a part of a college campus don’t change the basic building blocks of friendships: connection, effort and consistency.
Connection:
Commonality is the basis of every relationship- finding people who have just one thing in common with you is more than enough! Your major, hometown, and hobbies can easily be a point of connection, but there are ways to make that connection even more meaningful. Organizations on any given college campus allow for both discovery of new interests and staying true to your passions. Greek life, volunteer organizations, and fitness groups have been my vessel for making connections and finding communities on campus and could be for you too.
Effort:
One of the biggest differences between making friends before college and during is the amount of effort that has to be made. Others are more open to exchanging socials, walking to club meetings together and joining tables in the dining hall, when the offer is made. Exerting effort into a relationship isn’t a bad thing. Your effort to reach out is nearly always appreciated, and can change the course of a relationship from acquaintances to friends.
Consistency:
Consistency might just be the most important building block to friendship. Establishing a routine of getting lunch together once a week, or walking to class on your early mornings, even exchanging the results of the Wordle on a daily basis, creates a place for you in someone’s life, and theirs in yours.
With these three understandings, you can make lifelong friends throughout college with ease. As an out of state student, branching out was absolutely necessary for me to establish strong relationships on campus. Now, I can proudly say that I have made true friendships through my classes, in my sorority, and other volunteer and on campus organizations.
Check your college’s Student Central club page to see all of the opportunities on campus, and get started finding your people. Friendships take time, but putting in the work is always worth it!
Written by GUADS intern Kate
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