Starting out somewhere new can always be a bit of a challenge. Having to make it on your own in a place that is unfamiliar where all the faces you see are unrecognizable can be daunting. College comes with its challenges. Wanting to be a student at the top of your class can definitely impact on your social life, but being socially involved is necessary if you want to cross that threshold with your sanity intact.
Join in
Joining in on clubs and societies can be a really effective way of making friends who share similar interests to you. If you feel like this could potentially distract from your end goals of graduating, then make it a study group instead.
You’re not alone
What is most important to keep in mind is that you are not alone. One thing that you will definitely have in common with many of the other students starting out at college is that you are all just looking to be part of a group of friends to share your college experiences with. This can be used as common ground when it comes to breaking the ice and striking up a conversation.
Smile
Uncross those arms and turn that frown upside down. Not all of us are fortunate enough to look like we have a happy-go-lucky, the world is full of sunshine and rainbows attitude all the time. More than a fair share of us suffer from an unfortunate condition known only as resting bitter face or RBF for short. The generally relaxed demeanor and overall general lack of expression can be misconstrued as one being angry and irritated making one come off as unapproachable. So make the effort to seem approachable. This alone can make all the difference in the world.
Orientation week
Most colleges have orientation weeks and honestly, there is no better time to really put yourself out there and make a name for yourself. The important thing is to not leave it too late. Once all the friend groups start to form, it becomes harder to get in on one and you definitely don’t want to be that person that gets left on the bench. So get scouting and accept as many event invites as you can. Once exam season approaches, they become few and far between.
Work part-time
Even the most difficult of college courses still lends itself to a little time off. A nice way to spend that time off is to get a part-time job. This opens itself up to meeting new people and giving you a little extra cash to spend on going out. With all that being said, it is important to give yourself a break but these breaks can turn into an entire year of not attending classes or acing those exams. So keep the balance. The best part about being a student is the ability to work hard and play hard. Having two exams, three college assignments and four social events to attend can get a little rough so look out for yourself. College burn-out is a real thing. It doesn’t happen to the students who study their college experience away or the students who party their college fees away but to the students who try to have it all. So be good to yourself.
