Moving to a new place can be stressful, especially if you’ve never been away from home for long. This is a reality for all students that choose to study in a location somewhat remote from their hometown.
However, just changing where you live won’t be the only thing that affects your mental health. The hardest part, probably, would be losing all connections. All the friends you’ve made throughout the years would leave for different destinations. And your family would stay back home.
So what do you do in a completely strange environment filled with confusing assignments and people you don’t know? If you spend all of your time and energy just on classes, you won’t have many opportunities to start your social life. To battle that, writers at EssayPro offer students essay writing services that can take the edge off the first years. So what can be done instead?
There are lots of ways that will help you find like-minded students on the campus. The major recommendations are to be open to connections, stay true to yourself, and not be afraid to search for ways to meet new people. Let’s look into this in detail.
Open Up
Start your studies out strong. The first few weeks really matter. Are you going to establish yourself as a person open to talking to everybody or the one no one knows about? In all honesty, either way is bad. It all depends on your personality. Get connections, go to parties, and make friends. If you like the stay under the radar more, pick the next tip.
Struggle Together
We’ve already discussed that student years can be tough at first. What can help you? A sturdy shoulder of someone going through the same. If you’re not the one to start up meaningless conversations, this is the route you can take.
There might be classes you find hard, lecturers you don’t like, and living situations that bother you. In all of these stressful cases, you’re not alone. There is always someone who sits beside you in class or lives in your dorm and also experiences all of those things. It can be a good idea to reach out and help them. And they would do the same for you.
Be Sincere
The key to every situation is to be sincere and genuine with all of your acquaintances. You shouldn’t pour your heart and soul into the people you barely know, but being truthful is always a plus. This would cement the perfect start to a long friendship.
Join a Club
Want to find someone that shares your love in fashion, music, or food? Look for a club to join. Extracurricular activities are the best to find like-minded people and be more serious about your hobbies.
If you find a good club that takes what they do at least semi-seriously, you might even get a chance to organize events, visit competitions, and see other countries. This opens even more opportunities for new friends from across the world.
Visit Events
It’s easy to find an event for your taste. Want to go to the gallery? Easy. Dream of going to a concert? Of course, it’s possible. The most popular event on campus, however, are sports games and parties.
Even if you don’t like loud celebrations, parties can be different. If you like acapella singing, you will find a place to have fun. Even the chess club has certain events planned for the year. So, your job is just to look for an events coordinator or a calendar. Don’t be afraid to reach out, and have fun!
Bribe Friends With Food
Surely, the studies are stressful, especially when you miss home and your parents that did everything for you. Keeping yourself fed and even doing the laundry can become a problem. Not to mention all the little things that were so easy when you stayed at home.
So, if you’re somebody that enjoys cooking and hosting, you can be that person that hosts small gatherings for your friends. A delicious recipe shouldn’t stay unused just because you’re shy. Treat your roommates to something homemade. Trust me, they will appreciate it and might come up with some new cuisine idea.
Share Study Notes
When you’re visiting classes, some lectures can seem too boring to be attentive. In this case, make friends with people that always attend them. You can ask them to share notes, do group projects, and arrange study sessions. Helping each other is a good way to get close.
But remember, if you’re always asking for notes without giving anything back (attention, quality conversation, or help with something you’re good at), people might get an idea that you’re using them. It’s not a good feeling, so make sure that you offer them support as well.
Get a Job on Campus
What can be better for getting to know the people on campus than working in a local coffee shop? Do you have any skills that your campus can make good use of? Don’t hide them. Like painting a canvas? Apply for a library position. Have a perfect pitch? The radio station would be glad to have you.
If you’re interested in something, in particular, having a job while in college will give you a nice head start. And there, you’ll definitely find someone that likes the same things you do.
Apart from career opportunities, working will make you money to pay out your student loan faster. Think about working. But don’t let it deter you from getting a degree or arranging your social life.
The Takeaway
Friends we make in college are often the people we spend the most time with, even after graduation. Do not be afraid to show initiative and befriend the people you like. When, if not in college, will you have so many interesting folks surrounding you? Mingle, share your hobbies, make connections. Your future personal life and probably career will not be the same after.
