Making Friends on a Large College On-Campus or Off Campus

Now that you all would have settled down in your accommodations – it is the time to socialize and make friends…. Making friends while living off campus is equally important as making friends on campus. These are the years which would work as life changers for you all….memories to which you would be cherished whenever you meet and share college life experiences with friends for your entire life. Making new friends – having fun – with studies on priority is the way to go towards a successful career and life. SchoolandUniversity.com would like to share few views and opinions about this fun filled yet – attentions seeking topic of “Friends on Campus”

• Why to make friends…
• How and where to make friends…
• Do's & Don’ts - college campus...

Why to make friends in campus?

College or campus life means meeting new people and making friends of them and best friends to some of them. These friendships will not last only through your college tenure but also will be a lifetime relationships. Bonding with your friends in the college – campus might help you gain better grades; assure graduation, expanding your social life on the campus, save money, access student and campus sponsored events and many more. It is so because these are the people “your friends” who may help you through your lows and be with you in your highs.

How and where to make friends in campus?

The only thing that is at the back of the mind for every freshman is whether they would be a perfect fit for the new campus? Will they be in a position to make new friends? How to do so? Meeting new people in new environment does seem to be a bit difficult; however giving it sometime would ease out the problem on its own. Not to overlook that it is a process or a chain reaction that happens every year with a set of students who join in as freshman in any of the colleges or dormitories. There are a lot of there like you who are feeling the same way so do not feel shy in saying “HI” or approaching someone to talk to. The best part of this exercise is that there are so many of them and so the chances of you meeting and picking up the right choice and fitment of friends for you are very high.

Campus is the place offering great opportunities to all to meet and make new friends. It is the student who will have to grab these opportunities by getting friendly and frank with others. One can approach somebody sitting alone in the cafeteria or a library to initiate the process. One thing here is for sure; handle the situation in a gradual manner and do not force yourself on others.

• Start with the dorms and class rooms you live in and study- as these are the best places to meet new students. Just try and introduce yourself to see their overwhelming reaction…do not forget that they are also sailing in the same boat
• Orientations are of great importance. They can be a bit boring – but here you would come to know the basic details of all the students around you and in your class…which may help you to select the one of your choice and interests
• Social gatherings and sports events in campus – fun fairs and all are a good opportunity to meet new people
• Inviting people for a coffee, bite or at dinner and lunch also would yield you its benefits
• Filling up campus friend application form and joining a student clubs and organizations - campus recreation or a sports team to meet new but people with similar interests is a good option.
• Joining study groups gives you the chance of making friends on campus and enhancing your knowledge at the same
• On Campus jobs would get you some money handy as well as the opportunity to interact with new people
• Landing a helping hand to those in need is the quickest and proven way of approaching and making friends with others
• Campus newsletters or yearbooks would give you the required exposure to those you are seeking friendship with
• Volunteer work on and off campus – hence volunteering work on campus is also a good idea of expanding your network and meeting people with same interests

Making friends is a vital activity of campus life. Be a person who is a little bit aware of the campus fashions and trends and also is a part of college community forums, who is easy to talk to and start reaching out to people instead of waiting for them to come to you and talk.

Do's and Don’ts college campus

Freshman - a new beginning in the life of every student. Out of the comforts of your home in new environment amongst new people…nothing and no one is familiar.
There is no specific list or to do list for making friends on campus. Here we would like to jot down some of the freshman experiences or take away which might throw some light on what we could like to convey…

Many freshmen would have their own reasons for attending or no attending a particular class; but needless to say that is too much fun attending the first college classes…meeting and knowing new people. So why should you stay away from such activity – never skip the classes.

College offers you the space, opportunity and much more in terms to develop your social life – friendship and lot more. Capitalize this opportunity and make the most of it. There are a lot like you in the campus and you might miss out on the one of your choice who has the same interests.

Not necessary that you are in a dorm or a campus of a college in your home town. It may happen that you get admission in the college of your choice but away from your own city. These students should be going around and visiting new places with recently made friends as it will give chance to both – of knowing each other.

This act of ours would ensure a lot of people will start knowing you very soon. Students inclined towards performing arts would gain some experience but can utilize it as a stepping stone to become popular.

College parties or social mates get together are the best chances one could have to make new friends on campus. These are the events which are unforgettable. Meeting people, dancing with them, and feeling that air of freedom, feeling the adrenaline rush in your veins…It is all amazing. But do not overdo things or you will not remember this amazing experience and also that it was the first chance as a freshman to get such experience. You would see more and more of you around you. You will find friends who are looking out for more friends.

College campus – dorms – hostels are the places which are meant to have fun, learn new things, now more about new cultures, new people, new customs and so on….You are supposed to take advantage of this fabulous and life time opportunity. However; as you are young and the environment and people around you are new – you tend to do mistakes knowingly or unknowingly. This could be a case for anyone and everyone who surfs through the four year’s college life. We would like to draw everyone’s attention on certain things that one should not be doing in any case as it might lead to unpleasant conversations and incidents – people treating you as an unwanted identity. These Don’ts are for the betterment for one and all while making friends on campus.

While on campus you meet people where someone would like you and your company and some would not. It’s ok...just move on. Do not change yourself to someone who you are not as it never has worked out for a long time. If need to change – change because you want to and not because someone else wants you to change.

Bear in mind that you are now out of the high school and hence stop talking about you high school and its experiences all the time. People around you might get irritated as for them high school might not have been a pleasant experience.

Activities – friends – outdoor games, a lot of things to do. Get involved with all and enjoy knowing more people to make friends. Do not be a room worm – not leaving the room and feeling shy may not help you.

Your behavior with your friends, Roommates, boyfriend or girlfriend will decide whether you fall in this category or not. Do not be a gum stick to any of your friends. This kind of behavior ensures that you will lose your friend very fast. You have your own identity and hence no need to hang around your friends unnecessarily in this manner. Give your friends some space and enjoy the same kind of freedom from them as well.

Waste of money – stress – dent on reputation and so on. These are the things that might happen if you fail a class and you might end up doing it because of stress of performing or may be due to over friendly behavior. IN any case if you fail a class you surely will lose your friends as they will go to next level whereas you will stay at the same grade.

A slightest of the tantrum in any of the above aspects might make you start feeling home sick and so you might start visiting your home nearly every weekend. And going home every weekend might lead you to a lot of travelling expenses, lose in studies, enjoyment experiences and friends – as weekends are the ones when all enjoy but you will not be there for them and they might go looking for your substitute.

• Loud Music:

  Loud music at parties or invading someone’s privacy happens to be an uncivilized approach and is surely not acceptable. IT is the best way of driving away people from you and making them crazy as they are already going through the stress of final exams.

• Your roommate also has a right to stay in the room:

  Now that you are in college and new, you would be looking out to get luck in some of the aspects - earlier than anyone else. Your room mates also would understand this, but at times; not always. If your roommate or your friend who happens to be your roommate will not appreciate staying out of the room at two AM every now and them. He obviously will get pissed off.

• Don’t be a drunkard

  This is ethically a wrong behavior. Young blood is not interested in taking care of their own self and so you cannot expect them to take care of you every now and then whenever you are found vomiting or fallen on the road or in the campus. Also drinking and a lot of drugs will ensure that you do not have good time with your friends or any good memories of this golden opportunity.