10 Tips For Surviving College As An Introvert
Surviving college is a hard enough; when you add in surviving college as an introvert, the struggle only intensifies. But being a little shy isn’t anything to be ashamed of; here are 10 tips for surviving college as an introvert.
1. Get to know your roommate or the other residents on your floor.
Having a roommate is almost like having a built in friend. You now live together for a whole year, so it makes sense to try to get to know them and incorporate them into your life. By becoming friends with your roommate, you’ll always have a friend to go to the dining hall with and won’t have to constantly worry about being alone. Even if you don’t have a roommate and live in a single, you can make friends with the other residents on your floor. Most of the time, if they’re shy, they’ll be grateful to find a new friend.
2. Join a club.
Yes, as an introvert, the thought of joining a club might sound scary, but it’s actually the perfect way to network with other students and make connections. Choose something that interests you – whether related to your major or just a hobby you enjoy. This will push you to make new friends and since these clubs do a lot of social activities, this will hopefully encourage you to get out there.
3. Develop new hobbies.
You can develop new hobbies without having to even leave your room. If you like to write, look for a blog (like this one!) where you can write articles from your comfort space. Or even learn how to love reading, knitting, watching YouTube videos, DIYing a bunch of stuff.
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4. Find a sanctuary.
Personal time is extremely valuable and totally necessary…especially as an introvert. If you need a break from school work or your roommate, it’s helpful for your own personal sanity to have a place you can go to that allows you to take a breather and be on your own. Whether it’s the library or your dorm’s lounge, find a place where you feel comfortable.
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5. Communicate.
Talk to your roommate(s) about what you’re comfortable with and what you aren’t comfortable with. Obviously, that’s not an easy conversation to have, but it’ll make your life so much easier in the long run if they understand ahead of time why some days you don’t want to talk or don’t want to hang out.
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6. Explore new places.
Chances are, the college you’re going to has a pretty cool downtown area with a main street. If it’s within walking distance, take a stroll along town and get to know what’s out there. I know my college’s downtown area has an awesome book store and great restaurants. You never know what you’ll find.
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7. Find similar people!
No matter where you go in life, you will always find someone similar to you. In college, you’ll find plenty of others trying going through that same social struggle as an invert that you are! They’re out there and probably in just as much in need of a friend as you are; it’s just a matter of looking for them!
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8. Don’t pick a major that requires you to be overly social.
Certain majors like communications or journalism require you to socialize way more than the average major does. Steer clear of those, especially if you know that social situations make you extremely uncomfortable.
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9. Don’t believe the hype.
You don’t have to have a ton of friends to be happy. I barely talk to anyone now that I see a lot of people aren’t on the same maturity level and I’m OKAY with that! You can be happy on your own or with a select group of friends.
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10. Be confident.
There is nothing wrong with you. Don’t ever feel that there is. So be as confident as you can be and show the world that you’re proud of yourself…introvert or not!
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