Ever since I was a little girl, I have always been really shy. Whenever my parents would try to introduce me to someone new, I would always hide behind them. From elementary school to high school, I was hesitant about making friends and being social. You would think this stayed the same once I arrived at St. Lawrence. And in some ways, you are right. I am in no way part of a squad that is together during all their free time (Congratulations to everyone who is though, I think that is pretty amazing.) But while I am still shy, I still found a way to make the most of the social scene. I am saying this to get across that it is 100% okay to be shy. And even better, it is NOT impossible to participate in the college social scene as a shy person (but you might have to venture out of your comfort zone a little bit). Here are some of the things have done to be social in college.
- Go to the Sports Games
Watching the men’s hockey games last year was one of my favorite things to do on the weekend. I already knew some of the players from my FYP, so it was fun watching and supporting people that I was already somewhat friendly with. I always ended up running into people I know, so there was always someone I could sit with and talk to. I also ended up meeting my now best friend at one of the games, so it was great for meeting people as well. This is the same with the football games. One of my friends plays for the team, and some of my other friends go, so I can always talk to them, as well as meet new people.
- Go out by yourself
Seriously, do it. I have done this before and it is so rewarding. You always end up feeling more confident afterwards. I would not recommend going to the night club or a bar by yourself, but with events like concerts on campus (JAVA and Springfest) and the previously mentioned sports games, you can definitely go alone and make new friends in the process.
- Join Clubs
In clubs, you will meet people who share the same interests as you and people that are really nice. I recently became a member of my campus’s chapter of Spoon University and HerCampus. I am also a part of the Laurentian Magazine and Creative Writing Club, since writing is my passion. Everyone seems super nice and I am looking forward to getting to know everyone a little better.
- Go to School Events
I went to raft day the beginning of my sophomore year, and I ended up meeting some new people and catching up with my old friends in the process.
- Talk to the Person sitting next to you
Whether this is in a club meeting or lecture, talking to the person next to you is never a bad idea. You would be surprised how interesting the person sitting next to you is. I became friends with someone who is now one of my favorite people through doing this, so the risk is definitely worth taking.