Making New Friends
This is the sixth of 12 post in the Tips for Success Series (halfway done!). This series is to help Rebels through the semester with tips and tricks for those high grades in the classroom. It may even help you keep your sanity on the worst of days!
I was born and raised in Las Vegas, so when I transitioned to college, it meant a lot of my friends did as well. That made going to school easier because I knew so many people already. I quickly came to learn you’ll still have moments where you have to be alone. Sometimes it’s because you have a class where you don’t know a single person or maybe your friends are on a completely different schedule as you. So here’s a few tips and tricks on making new friends.
Join a Club
This is an easy one. If you join a club, it’s because you’re interested in the topic of said club. Now you’re going to meet tons of people who already have one thing in common with you. If you’re in a Disney club, ask someone who their favorite Disney princess is or who their favorite villain is. Join pizza club and start a heated discussion by asking people if pineapple is a topping made for pizza. Joining a club gives you an opportunity to meet people with very similar interests. You’ll see the members of your club on a weekly basis, hang out with them, and have some fun. There’s more than 350 clubs on campus, so take your pick.
Talk to People
I know what you’re thinking, this sounds like an awful idea. There’s nothing more awkward than having to talk to a stranger. We all hate those first day of class icebreakers and pray you never have to do a group project to avoid talking to your classmates. But seriously, this is a great idea. You’re going to see these people every other day for a handful of weeks, why not get to know them? Start off by talking about the class, their likes and dislikes, how homework is going, etc. This worked really great for me in my Eng 232 class and I’ve got a groupchat with my classmates. The best part, this was last semester and we still talk to each other. I’ve planned future classes with classmates because we hit it off so well. These people will help you with studying and homework as well, so it’s a good idea to try it.
On Campus Job
I work in the office of admissions as an orientation assistant. I started off as an orientation leader last summer. Our team was huge and it made it easy to make so many new friends. By having a job on campus, you’re allowed a chance to meet other students. Making friends through work is pretty easy to do. You’re usually with the same people, and if work is slow or you have a moment, you can really get to know them. I was even lucky enough to travel for work. I attended a conference in San Jose and made friends with the students from different schools. A lot of us are still in contact and send each other snapchats all the time.
I hope you try a new tip and meet a great friend! College is where you’ll grow the most and there’s hundreds of others going through similar things as you. Maybe you’ll meet your new best friend in your least favorite class.
Bianca Castillo, Senior
Orientation Assistant
High School: Liberty High School
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Major: Creative Writing