Nathaniel Fried
There are opportunities to make friends and attend social events from the moment you step foot on campus. New students who are feeling self-conscious will be all around you hoping to find a friend. Be the one to take the initiative and introduce yourself to as many people as you can. Learn each person’s name and where he or she is from. Make sure to recognize these new acquaintances with a wave or a nod the next time you see them.
During Orientation and the first week of school there will be lots of invitations to join clubs and attend parties. This barrage of invitations will slow to a trickle as the semester wears on. Go to as many as you can early on. Check out the clubs and invite others to join you. You may find some new interests. You don’t need to join everything and you shouldn’t but check them out and join the ones you like.
By the second and third weeks into the semester, students are feeling more settled and are less open to making new friends. When you connect with people right away, you will not find yourself left out and lonely come mid-semester.
Contributor: Lindy Schneider from AmericasCollegeAdvisor.com
