Social anxiety meets extrovert energy. Spoiler: you can make friends at MUJ without a breakdown (but no promises).
Freshman year at Manipal University Jaipur hits like a shot of espresso after an all-nighter: thrilling, overwhelming, and slightly nauseating. Between trying to find your classroom in AB1 without looking like a lost goat, decoding the Wi-Fi password (may the odds be in your favour), and wondering if you’ll ever find your people, it’s easy to spiral. Trust me, I’ve been there: staring at my plate in the mess like it’s a sad indie film, thinking, “Wow. Is this what loneliness tastes like?”
But here’s the thing: MUJ is crawling with potential friends. They’re in your lecture hall, your hostel corridor, that random Fresher’s event you swore you wouldn’t attend but then showed up to in Crocs because, well, life. Social anxiety might whisper “don’t do it,” but extrovert energy, even the fake, performative kind, will drag you into conversations you’ll thank yourself for later. And no, you don’t have to become a social butterfly overnight. Think of it more like… a social moth. Small flutters. Subtle chaos.
Here’s how to find your crew without crying in the AB1 bathroom stall (too much).
Sit next to someone in class.
Yes, revolutionary idea, I know. But MUJ classrooms are the OG networking hub. Plop yourself down, pull out your notes (or just your water bottle for moral support), and ask, “Hey, what’s the professor’s name again?” Congratulations, you’ve started a conversation. By midterms, you’ll either have a group project buddy or someone to complain about 9 a.m. lectures with. Both are equally valuable.
Show up to events.
I get it, you’re tired, the Jaipur heat is cooking you alive, and Netflix is whispering your name. But showing up to college events is basically like shaking a friendship vending machine. You never know what’ll pop out: a dance partner at Garba Night, a co-conspirator for HCMUJ’s open mic, or just someone who also didn’t understand the quiz round at some hackathon event. Pro tip: bring snacks to share. Nothing bonds two strangers faster than “Wait, you have Oreos?”
Join a club (yes, even if you’re shy).
Look, every senior will tell you this: your college experience is 30% classes, 70% extracurriculars, and 100% crying about deadlines. Clubs are where you find your people. Whether it’s Her Campus, or some random niche society that meets twice a semester, you’ll discover friends who vibe with your chaos. Plus, “accidentally” joining five clubs just makes you look really employable later. Win-win.
Make the mess less messy.
The MUJ mess is peak friend-making territory. Everyone’s hungry, everyone’s semi-delirious, and nobody judges when you pile four rotis onto your plate. Sit at a random table and ask, “Yo, is the dal good today?” Boom, instant bonding. Before you know it, you’ll have a mess fam, complete with inside jokes about watery sambhar and suspicious-looking paneer.
Queue conversations.
The coffee line at campus’ Nescafé is long enough to foster lifelong connections. Don’t waste it doomscrolling. Strike up small talk with, “Would it take small or large Iced Tea to survive AB1 labs?” Chances are, the person in front of you has the same exact academic trauma. Misery loves company, and at MUJ, it loves mochas too.
friends don’t need you to be an extrovert.
Making friends at MUJ isn’t about transforming into the social butterfly you saw in Netflix teen dramas. It’s about showing up, asking dumb-but-cute questions, and laughing at the shared absurdity of college life. You will cry — probably during midterms, probably when the mess serves papaya — but you’ll also laugh till your stomach hurts at 3 a.m. with people who once were strangers. That’s the magic.
So go forth, future extrovert moth. Your crew is out there, probably also lost in AB2.
Want more chaotic chronicles, caffeine-fuelled confessions, and campus survival cheat codes? Slide into Her Campus at MUJ, we’ve got the tea. And if you’re wondering who dared to say that making friends in college is THAT easy — surprise, it’s me, Niamat Dhillon at HCMUJ.
Here’s to missed lifts, midnight Maggi, fake attendance miracles, and the divine comedy of hunting for Wi-Fi. Because honestly? At MUJ, friendship is forged in shared trauma, bad sev tamatar, and the courage to laugh when the network fails at 11:58 PM before your submission.