One of the biggest and most exciting parts of college life is the friends you’ll meet. As a college freshman, you’ll have the chance to meet new people from all over the country, maybe even the world. Although making new friends before starting a new school can be pretty daunting, it can become much easier if you put yourself out there early and actively try to start new friendships. With these 6 easy tips for ways to make friends, you’ll be making new friends before Welcome Week even rolls around!
A great way to start getting in touch with your new classmates is through your college’s Facebook groups that get set up after admission decisions roll out. Not only can you use these groups to chat and meet new people, but you can also learn about the school and find a roommate for the upcoming year—super exciting!
USC will host events across the nation for newly admitted students to learn more about the school, the community and to get to know their potential classmates. It’s important to attend at least one of these events so you can become acquainted with the incoming freshmen from your area. It’s always great to meet people from your area, because you can bond over your shared location AND your acceptance to greatest college in the history of the universe. This is one of the easiest ways to make friends.
In this highly digitized world in which we live in today, social media is one of the easiest ways to get to know people going to USC. By scrolling through your fellow Trojans’ Instas, you can find mutual interests you may share with people and see what everyone is up to this summer. Just imagine what a simple double tap or a friendly comment can do in cultivating a brand new friendship.
This may sound a bit silly or cheesy, but honestly it works. When we’re nervous or in a new situation, our faces tend to tense up and get stuck in grimaces which are not very friendly expressions. Make a conscious effort to grin, no matter how small, at those around you! Whether you’re in with your orientation group or waiting in line at the bookstore, a smile is a quick, easy way to appear more approachable and to strike up a conversation with someone. This is one of the easiest ways to make friends.
A great way to meet friends is to sit with new people during meals at USC orientation. It’s so easy to stick with the familiar and sit with people you already know, but making new friends is all about putting yourself out there. There’s no better way to put yourself out there than smiling, introducing yourself and asking “Hi is this seat taken?” At orientation I recommend sitting at a new table for each meal in the dining hall so you can see new faces and learn about new people as well.
Orientation definitely can be overwhelming with the amount of activities and events being thrown in your direction, but hang in there, it’s these activities that will help you meet all types of new people. Although a lot of the orientation games and icebreakers that you play may feel a tad forced, choosing to go to activities that interest you can help forge new relationships with people with similar interests as you. This is one of the easiest ways to make friends.
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