The huge number of people you meet at college means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to form friendships. What’s more difficult is maintaining these friendships throughout your time at college — and perhaps even beyond graduation. However, it is worthwhile because it will mean you have deep friendships with people who will support you throughout your time at college. Here are some strategies for forming lasting friendships.
1. Strike Up as Many Conversations as Possible
When you arrive on campus, put in the effort to meet as many people as you can. This will increase the chances you find people you feel a connection to. Instead of waiting for people to introduce themselves to you, strike up a conversation — most people will be happy to talk to you. Try to remember people’s names and some basic information about them to show you care the next time you meet.
2. Meet People in Your Student Housing
If you’re living in student housing, you’re in the perfect position to make close friendships. As well as having plenty of chances to hang out with your roommates, you’ll be able to meet people living in other units by spending time in the communal areas. Since you’ll see these people every day, it will be easy to form friendships.
3. Talk Students in Your Classes
Some of the people you’re most likely to have things in common with are students taking the same major as you. Approach them to talk to them before or after class. For instance, you may like to ask if there are any study groups you can join to get to know these students better while setting yourself up for academic success.
4. Join Extracurriculars and Campus Events
Expand your circle further by trying out clubs and attending other events on campus. This is a great way to meet people with similar interests to you. Don’t feel limited to just activities you already enjoy or sports you’ve practiced in the past — college is the ideal time to explore new possibilities. You may find that many of the extracurriculars are not for you, but it’s important to at least give them a shot, as you won’t know unless you try. At the very least, you’ll meet people you may otherwise never have met.
5. Give Friendships Time to Develop
Try to spend time with the people you meet on a regular basis to allow connections to develop into friendships. It’s sometimes difficult to know who will end up being your closest friends, but this will likely become clear if you spend more time together.
It tends to be easier to maintain friendships with people who live near you. Students looking for housing to share with friends near Fanshawe College can find a home at Foundry First. We have apartments with three to six bedrooms, meaning you can find a floor plan that works for the number of friends you want to share with. If you don’t have friends at college yet, take advantage of our roommate matching service to be paired with students who have similar lifestyles to you. Apply now to secure the type of suite you want while it’s still available.