Are you back in the Forest ready to kick it with old friends and eager to strike up a conversation with the boy sitting next to you in class you have never seen before? Do it! Perhaps you’ve just returned from a life-changing abroad experience and are looking to tighten up some friendships. Or maybe you just got into a sorority and are looking to get closer with your new sisters but also stay connected to your hall besties. Have no fear! Spring semester means new faces and exciting opportunities to make life-long friendships while sustaining the ones you have. Here’s how:
1. Be Intentional
Personally, love it when a friend I don’t normally see on a regular basis invites me to lunch or a study date. Reaching out and actively planning a girl’s night with old and new friends can really go a long way. An opportunity like this allows you to bring together friends that maybe don’t know each other and will allow new friendships to form. Not to mention, you’re strengthening your own bonds in the process. Text a new friend and an old friend right now, plan a date for this week, and watch the friendship sparks soar (excuse the cheesiness)! Be proactive and try to plan at least one get together a week with any amigo/a you find yourself saying, “Omg I reallyyy need to catch up with him or her.”
2. #ClassBuddyBestBuddy
You know you want to talk to the cutie sitting next to you, so why not take the leap? Look at this spring semester as a brand new canvas simply waiting for you to paint all of your colorful new experiences on it. This super nice guy could turn out to be a new crush, friend and/or study buddy. Even if he does not look like the kind of guy you typically go for, all the more reason to take a step out of your comfort zone and make a new friend who will add something different to your life. What have you got to lose?
*Image from Huffington Post
3. No Close-mindedness
As important as it is to reach out to others, it is just as important to be receptive when a friend is reaching out to you. This is especially true when it is not a close friend, but rather an acquaintance, perhaps. This is where the bonding happens. The cultivation of new and old friendships cannot happen if you avoid the amazing opportunities headed your way. Pretend you are Jim Carrey in his movie, Yes Man, and experiment with opening yourself up to all the potential close friendships around you!