College- a place where dreams are created and friendships are built. As a sophomore in college myself, I have often heard that “the people you meet in college are your forever people”. The ones who make or break your university experience. However, after a year of navigating the whirlwind of university life, it’s safe to say this statement rings true, to a certain extent.
As you step onto campus, wide-eyed with anticipation, familiar questions echo in your ears: “What is your name?”, “What’s your major?” It’s hard to believe these seemingly mundane questions will lead to a profound connection. Especially when this is all the substance conservation can hold in the first few weeks of college. Unless you have friends from high school going to the same university it’s a total social reset.
For those of us who chose a university closer to home, this transition can be a combination of acquaintances and unfamiliar faces. Realistically your first “friends” who you do everything with end up being your roommates and the people living around you. This is where it starts. Late-night chats, attending pre-university events, and the sheer proximity create your initial social environment.
Yet, these early hangouts hold no substance. Relationships are built over time, but initial meetings can provide a window into the future. It’s in these moments that we wonder: Are these the “forever people” we’ve been told about?
Then classes start. Lecture halls are packed with 300 people. Time moves differently and the overwhelming wave hits. Balancing academics, and keeping up with family and friends back home while simultaneously finding a place to belong on campus seems unattainable. The concept of “forever people” is foreign, an almost distant afterthought.
Now here’s the thing; I’ve come to genuinely believe that you will meet the people you need to meet at precisely the right time. It may not happen during those initial surface-level hangouts, or in the midst of lecture halls. You do need to put in a little bit more effort. But in all honesty, these connections do form; they form gradually, as you navigate the ups and downs of college life together. They emerge when you least expect it, often when you need them most.
So, let’s embrace this tumultuous yet fulfilling journey with a patient spirit and open heart. The people who truly make an impact in our lives may not be your freshman year roommates, but they will be the friends who stand by you during these formative years.
In the end, whether you call them “forever people” or something else entirely, the essence of college friendships lies in their authenticity, depth, and resilience. And always remember the bonds we form are as unique and diverse are the people in them. There is no formula, there is only love and friendship.