“How do I make friends in college?” This question comes up every school year. For people who live on campus, it’s a bit easier. You have your roommates and the other people in your dorm. If you’re really social, you can even make friends in the dining hall. However, commuter students have to find different ways to approach people. This can be difficult and takes some time to figure out what works best for you and your schedule. So, I decided to compile my experiences into a list of five ways to make friends as a commuter!
1. Talk to people in your class
This seems like a no-brainer, but I honestly didn’t start talking to people in my classes until this semester. Usually, I start with a compliment, like if someone has a cute outfit or a funny sticker on their laptop. Then, from there, I introduce myself and try to get to know them. Through this method, not only have I found people to study with or talk to about assignments, I also found a few friends to communicate with outside of class!
2. Go to school-rAn Activities
If your school does any activities between your classes, like craft sessions, competitions, or any other sort of social event, try to attend! It may be awkward at first, and in some cases, you may be the only person to show up. Still, it’s a good way to meet and talk to people outside of your major and interests. Even if no students show up to participate, you can still chat with and potentially befriend any students helping run the event.
3. Join Different Groups and clubs
This may not work for everyone who commutes, but if you can stay on campus for a bit after your classes, joining a club can definitely help you make friends. Actually, I’d recommend joining two or three clubs, since some clubs die down at certain points of the year or have infrequent meetings. However, regardless of how many clubs you do end up joining, they’re a great way to meet people outside of your major with similar interests as you.
4. Use your school’s Social Media
While not every school has its own app or website with a page for students to talk to each other on, many different social media sites have built-in features that let you to connect with other students from your campus. Not only can this help you find people to befriend, this method also lets you keep up with any activities or clubs that you may be interested in.
5. Volunteer or Find an On-Campus Job
If you have the time, volunteering or getting a job on campus are also great ways to meet new people and make friends. Specifically, volunteer work or jobs that involve running campus activities can expose you to people you may not have the opportunity to meet outside of your major or interests.