Movies, tv shows, books, social media, even college marketing materials all tell you the same thing; in college, you’ll make friends for a lifetime. But making friends isn’t always easy for people, especially in a new environment. Here are some easy ways to make friends!
Befriend Your Roommate
Let’s be a bit lazy and start with the closest person to you, shall we? Your roommate is the perfect person to become friends with since you’ll be spending a lot of time with them. Once you receive your room assignment (if you haven’t yet, you should soon), reach out! Follow each other on social media, discuss plans for your room, figure out some common interests, and jump into college life together.
Meet Your Neighbors
Living in a residence hall gives you a bit of a headstart in the friend-making quest. You’ll be seeing the same faces over and over so you might as well introduce yourself. Get to know your neighbors and other people on your floor. Your deans and RA’s he deans and RA’s will invite you to various social and spiritual events each week, go to them!
Talk To Your Classmates
Classes are a great place to meet new people and you’ll immediately have something in common, course work. Some of your classes even require lab or group work giving you another great excuse to strike up a conversation. Making friends in your classes will also give you people to study with, which is always a plus.
Join Intramurals
If you enjoy playing sports, join intramurals! PUC has intramurals throughout the year. From basketball to badminton, you’ll get to meet so many students. Plus, you already have a common interest in the sport that will help you start conversations and if your team wins, you get the coveted championship t-shirt.
Be Part of A Club
PUC has roughly 30 social, cultural, and academic student-run clubs with frequent activities including weekend outings, overnight trips to Albion, and the student-favorite Fall Fest event. Clubs are a fantastic way to meet people who share your interests.
Get A Campus Job
Working on campus gives you a chance to meet lots of people while lining your pockets! The PUC Cafe and Grind employ lots of students each quarter, the dorms hire students to work the front desk, and most faculty employ a few students to help with grading. These are just a few of the on-campus job opportunities that will allow you to get to know some new people while working.
Attend SA Events
Student Association events are literally designed to help you meet other students and make friends. Even if you’re unsure you want to attend, do it anyway. Even if you go for a few minutes or just stand around and watch, get out of your room and make an effort.
There will be tons of opportunities to make friends even if it doesn’t come easy to you, you’ll make them! Just keep an open mind and make a little effort!
Note: Be sure you carefully read your communications from Student Life and regularly check the Fall Campus Plan webpage to stay up-to-date with the COVID-19 safety precautions PUC will be enforcing.