As a person who values quiet and a good night’s sleep, the prospect of a single excited me. That blissful emotion lasted until my room was put together. Every surface was covered except for the large, white wall across from my bed. This barren expanse made me uncomfortable as it stared down at me, a reminder of my isolation from everyone else in my dorm. Little did I know that in a month’s time, these worries would no longer take up any residence in my mind. Here’s why.
Orientation is Worth Your While
I had heard the sentiment that orientation friends don’t last so many times that I accepted it as the only truth. Through my own experience, I found this expression to have little gravity. I am not friends with everyone from my orientation group, nor was I during orientation, but I am still friends with the people that I did get to know during that week. The people I didn’t get to know haven’t faded into complete strangers either; it’s nice to have some friendly faces to say hello to while walking along Middle Path.
Change Seats in Class
In college, the “unassigned assigned seats” rule does not exist. Take this opportunity to switch locations every few classes and talk to the people sitting next to you before the lecture begins. If you don’t have back to back classes, continue discussing the course with your new acquaintance at lunch. The next time you have a question on an assignment, you’ll have plenty of people to ask.
Go to the Activities Fair
While the crowded atmosphere of the activities fair can be a deterrent, I would recommend stopping by, if only for a little while. Look for a sport, club, greek organization, or volunteer opportunity that sparks your interest. Don’t worry about putting your name on too many email lists, seize the opportunity to acquaint yourself with all of the organizations that Kenyon has to offer. Even if you don’t find anything that you are especially interested in, it’s nice to introduce yourself to new people at each booth, and hear about their passions.
Join a Team
Joining the cross country team was the best decision I made at Kenyon. Being on a team is a great way to get to know people from each year who share similar interests. The cross country team is an extremely welcoming environment, and it has made my transition from high school to college infinitely easier.
Tag Along with Friends
The first time my friend invited me to join her and her roommate at lunch I quickly declined, fearing that I would be intruding on their time together. I soon realized that this fear is completely irrational. Friends don’t ask you to join them if it’s going to be a major inconvenience to them, they ask you to sit with them because they want to spend time with you and introduce you to their friends.
Upperclassmen are Friendly
In high school, freshmen rarely spoke to seniors, let alone hung out with them. Luckily, that is no longer the case, as many courses contain students from all grades, and extracurriculars blur the lines even further. When I first joined the cross country team, I was prepared to only spend time with the other freshmen, but the first day of practice flipped this expectation on its head. Now, the teammates I am closest with are primarily seniors. These friendships aren’t exclusive to practice, as my teammates are the people I look to frequently for study partners and people to go out with on the weekends.After one short month, my single and the social scene are no longer intimidating. The white wall across from my bed has been covered with a tapestry; it is no longer able to mock my worries about living alone. Each day the campus and its inhabitants become more familiar, and these initial anxieties no longer overcome my thoughts.
Image Credit: Feature, Hannah Haynes