Ways To Make Friends In College, Even If It Is Over Zoom…
College can be a great opportunity to meet a lot of new people, and make friendships that could potentially last a lifetime. If you’re heading to college this year, you may be worried about not having the same opportunities to make friends that previous students have. Whilst online classes are looking to be the norm, and student events like Freshers Week aren’t feasible at the moment, there are still ways you can make friends in college, even if it is over Zoom…
Ways To Make Friends In College These Days…
Be Very Approachable, Even Through A Laptop Screen
Engaging with your peers and lecturers gives people the signal that you’re confident, and they may naturally gravitate towards you. It can be nerve-wrecking at first, to voice your opinion on something in a lecture or raise your hand to answer a question, but trust me, it will be well worth it. Engaging over Zoom may be a little different, but it’s worth a try none-the-less!
Be The Organiser
There are two types of people in this world, those who organise and those who sit back and wait for others to organise. Being the latter could lead you to a very long wait. So, instead, why not get organising an event for your class? Yes, it will probably have to be via Zoom but look, we’re all trying to make the best of a bad situation. Maybe suggest a wine night, or a quiz, or even a book club. Something that gets people talking and making friends. That way when we’re all allowed to congregate again, you’ll have a ready made friend group!
Use Social Media To Your Advantage
Most college courses have a dedicated class page on Facebook. At the least there should be a page for your class year. Have a look around and see if such a thing exists for your class/course. If it doesn’t, make one! Contact your college or uni’s main page and ask if they could either point you in the direction of a group for your class, or ask them to share the one you created. This is a great way for people to interact outside of Zoom. It’s also handy if you miss a bit of a lecture and need notes etc!
Check If Your Student Union Has Supports
The Student Union (SU) in college are always great for speaking to about any concerns you may have. They’re also great at organising events and such. Whilst it’s a different academic year you’re heading into, it would be worth following your college SU on social media and keeping up to date with any goings on! You could even message them to help out with organising an event for 1st years.
Don’t Worry
It might sound obvious, but there’s no point in worrying or putting pressure on yourself to make friends. We’ve all been through a strange year, and things might get even stranger yet, so don’t fret if you’re finding it hard to connect with people. Everyone is more than likely in the same boat. When ‘normality’ resumes, you’ll have this collective experience to chat about, a built in ice-breaker.
What are your tips for making friends in college? Even if it has to be over Zoom…