We all know it is much harder than it sounds
I remember my summer before freshman year of college and how nervous I was. Coming to Wisconsin from out of state, I really had no idea what I was walking into. I wondered if people were going to know each other from their hometowns, if there would be cliques like in high school and if I would find my best friends on this campus. It is scary going to a new place where everyone is a stranger! College is daunting as is, and the social aspect is just another factor. With that being said, my college experience has been shaped by the friendships I have fostered, and I am so grateful that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to get here.
One part of making friends in college that is easy to forget is that everyone is in the same boat. We are all scared, and wondering who could be our friends! Once I had this in mind, I felt myself becoming much more outgoing and comfortable reaching out to others. Understanding that I am not the only scared freshman on campus, I started to go to more new student events, reaching out to strangers I met and putting myself out there. If you do not put yourself out there, it becomes very hard to meet new friends.
Another mindset that allowed me to reach out to others was putting zero pressure on every interaction. Whether this be meeting someone for the first time or the third time, I tried my best to keep in mind that the worst outcome of putting myself out there is rejection. Granted, this is not an easy pill to swallow, but it could be so much worse! If you reach out and the other person does not reciprocate your energy, they are not worth your time and that is okay. In high school it can feel like you have to be friends with everyone because of how small the community is. But, in college, we are all adults. There is no such thing as cliques. If you do not feel happy or like yourself around someone, you do not owe them anything! It is okay to have boundaries and put yourself first. That will not leave you friendless. Instead, it will ensure that the people you surround yourself with are both worth your time and only add to your life.
With all of this being said, you will not know if someone is a lifelong friend until you take the first step. Talk to people you sit with in class! Compliment strangers! Join clubs, go to events on campus, reach out to people you enjoy spending time with and be kind to everyone you meet. Life is too short to waste your time on bad friends, but you have to make an effort first to find the good ones.