By Melissa Loerke

Staff Writer

Oct. 7, 2015

Dear Melissa,

This may be a weird question but how do I make friends on campus? I’m a freshman and don’t know a lot of people. Anything I can do?

I had this same problem when I was a freshman. I would recommend joining a student organization, whether that be an intramural sport, an academic org or a religious group. When I started joining orgs, there were so many new people when I went to my first meeting and everyone was extremely welcoming. I was able to connect with people right away, even though I am a shy person.

Another method to find friends is to attend the events offered on your floor in your dorm. It may sound lame to go to a floor dinner, but that’s how I met my two best friends. They were in the same boat I was, curious to meet new people and wanting to explore campus. Now we are inseparable. The Resident Assistants (RAs) are also a good resource to meet new people. On my floor, our RAs planned game nights, and I was able to meet a good portion of people from my floor. Now when I see them on campus, I am able to say hi and feel social.

The last thing I’d recommend is to talk to people in your classes. It can be awkward to start a conversation with a stranger, but it can sometimes be easier than you think. Make a comment about how the homework wasn’t as hard as you thought it was or ask what they think about the reading. They will respond, and you can introduce yourself. It helps to have at least one person in each class who you feel comfortable with, that way if you miss class you can borrow their notes or you can form a study group and potentially do better on tests.

Don’t panic yet. You will meet great people on this campus and will make amazing memories, you just need to be open to new opportunities. – Melissa.