Little Collegiette™, Big City: My Mom's Guide on How to Make Friends Wherever You Land This Summer

So you’ve landed that dream internship, assembled the office-appropriate wardrobe, and signed the summer-long lease on the least expensive and least roach-infested apartment the city has to offer. There’s just one problem: you’re all alone. For many college women, following the ideal career path entails taking summer jobs or internships in places you’ve never been to, surrounded by people you don’t know. When confronted with this dilemma, I did what any smart gal would do—I called my mom. Not surprisingly, she had some truly sage advice. So if you’re one of those nervous collegiettes™, just read on—HC and my mother are here with a five-step guide to making friends and getting comfortable wherever you might be living this summer.
 
Step One: Maybe you do know people!
The first thing to do, Mom told me, is to check in with relatives. “You might have a third cousin in the area that you never knew about!” she said. Even if your relatives aren’t your age—and not quite prepared to show you to the area’s hottest new dance club—you’ll at least get a nice city tour out of it, and maybe even a good home-cooked meal.

Mom also suggested asking friends whether they know people who will be in your city for the summer. Erin Mealey, who writes Smitten, Glamour Magazine’s Daily Sex & Relationship Blog, updates this suggestion for the 21st century—she recommends asking friends to introduce you to others over Facebook. “When I moved…to San Diego,” she writes, “my friends living in other cities e-introduced to their girl friends in San Diego via Facebook.” Have your friend send her buddy a message with your details—your name, what you like to do, maybe a fun fact—and get to friending. If you’re getting along online, arrange a meet-up—it can be as simple as just grabbing coffee.
 
Step Two: Make Use of Colleges or Universities
If you’re lucky enough to land close to a college or university, make use of their resources. “Hang out at…what do you call them? Student unions?” my not-so-fresh-out-of-college mother suggested. If there’s a lecture or concert going on, show up and strike up a conversation with whoever’s sitting next to you.

Also, make sure to check whether your university runs programs in the area. Many schools create lecture series or organize tours of local tourist attractions for students interning in big cities like New York or Washington, D.C. Others operate mentoring programs, and can match you up to an alumnus who would be willing to show you around the city, or even introduce you to her friends. Check out your school’s Career Services page to see if those kinds of opportunities are available.
 
Step Three: Follow Your Interests
Love to knit? Talk about books? Listen to accordion music? Pick up a local newspaper and see what catches your eye. And though my Luddite mother would never do this, take to the internet: websites like Meetup prompt you to enter your hobby and ZIP code, and direct you towards groups devoted to what you’re interested in. Stuck in Indianapolis, Indiana and missing your weekly pole dancing class? The city’s “Pole Dance for Fitness” group is 100 members strong.

Are you involved with something you love at school? Spend the whole summer missing your sorority, your prayer group, or your university’s chapter of the ACLU? Check to see if your favorite campus organizations are national, and network through their umbrella websites. You might be able to find people with similar interests, who actually participate in the small extracurricular activities that you do.
Volunteering is another great way to meet people while doing something you love. VolunteerMatch and the government-operated Corporation for National & Community Service’s website are great places to start looking for the volunteering opportunity that’s right for you.