Coming into college, I was the nervous out-of-state student. My biggest fear in the world was that I somehow would meet no one, have no close friends, and ultimately be forced to drop out due to loneliness. Luckily, I was jus dramatic; everyone is in the same position as you and wants to find their people, too. As someone who went through the drama to find light at the end of the tunnel, I have a few tips to offer to ensure you’ll find your buddies in no time.
Don’t Be Afraid To Be A Freshman
We’ve all seen the Tik Toks of upperclassmen making fun of freshmen for wandering outside in huge groups in the first few days of school. You’ll see those posts and claim to never be like that, but you NEED to be like that. The groups you merge with on your explorations are the perfect way to meet new friends to hang out with. Go out with your dorm friends, walk around, end up in a random dorm, and just hang out with an absurd amount of people the first few days!
Join a FIG
Joining a First Year Interest Group, if you have the chance, is an awesome way to meet people with similar interests and academic goals as you. I was in a Global Reproductive Politics FIG, where I met many women with strong political and social interests, just like me! We had common life goals, as well as interests that allowed us to form strong connections that lasted the entire school year!
Open Your Door
Finally, the easiest way to meet people in your freshman year is to live in the dorms and leave your doors open! Leaving your door open makes you seem inviting and makes people more likely to feel comfortable enough to talk to you, come in and hang out, and ask you to come out with them. It’s also worth it to knock on doors and make plans with everyone on your floor this way!