College Friendships 101: Get out of your comfort zone!
College freshmen often struggle during their first few weeks on campus because it may be their first time being away from home. It can be an even bigger challenge for students who are shy or introverted. Most of us want to go back home every chance we get or stay in our dorms until we have to go to class. We feel as if we don’t know who we are yet, so we keep going back to the places where we feel ourselves. Whether attending a college near home or eight hours away, we all go through a phase of being afraid to make a friend. But there is no such thing as being too shy to make a long-lasting friendship. Even though it may be awkward at first, I found these three ways to be helpful in making new friends and connections.
Join a Student Organization
The first thing I did was try to get more involved on campus. My university has an app that lets you see some of the organizations on campus, and we have a day when the majority of our organizations come out to recruit new members. Attending this event allowed me to explore groups that sparked my interest and to talk to some of the members. I was able to really get to know the people and to see if I could see myself being friends with them or if we had similar interests outside of the organization. By joining one organization I connected with the members and met upperclassmen who gave me advice on how to navigate college.
Be True to Yourself
My newfound friends helped me see that I should be unapologetically myself. Everyone likes an authentic person, no matter if they are “quirky.” I didn’t need to change myself to fit in. I began to look for ways to grow and not stagnate while everyone else around me was growing. If I wanted to see growth that is exceptional, I realized I should join organizations that directly impacted students and that directly impacted my community. This was one of the reasons why I knew I would find my home and why I would make more friends.
Go to Class
It sounds like basic advice, but the last step is to go to class. Talk to your classmates. Go to professor office hours. Who knows, the study group you join may turn out to be your forever friends.
These are some tips that I followed in order to become a more “outgoing” person, and a person who is not so shy. This showed me that being shy does not hinder you from making friends. I could make friends and could influence other shy people to get out of their comfort zones and gain a better first-year experience!
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