Best Ways to Make Friends at College

You may go to the same college as a few others in your high school graduating class. However, chances are, you will not know a majority of the students at your new campus. Therefore, you will need some new friends. You may not form instant friendships, but you can get out there and start meeting people. Here's how to build relationships as soon as you get to your new school:

You should always be open minded. In high school, you probably hung out with the same clique for four years. Whether you were a popular girl, an athlete, or a band member, your clique is no longer a part of you. There are not as many cliques in college, so you should consider meeting people who would not have been in your group during high school.

Keep your door open when you're in your room. When you do, you are inviting others on your floor into your room. If you keep the door closed, people will think you want privacy and they won't bother you. Better yet, try to have something fun to do for when you have visitors. Pull out a favorite movie or board game. It'll be a great way to break the ice since you two already have a common interest.

Initiate a conversation anytime you are able to do so. Turn to the person next to you in class, for example, and asked them if they did the reading last night. Ask if they understood it or get their thoughts on it. You can also ask the basic questions such as where they are from, what their major is, and what dorm they are living in.

Don't sit alone in the dining hall. If you see someone else sitting alone or see a group that has an empty seat, ask them if you can join them. Once they accept, introduce yourself to everyone. This is another great time for those first ice breaking questions. Make sure to throw in some conversation about the food as well!
Even if you don't think you will be friends with these new people, you can still say "It was nice meeting you" when you leave. This doesn't necessarily promise future invitations to hang out, but you end your interaction on a good note and that's more people you can say hi to on campus. Better yet, they may introduce you to other people who you may have more in common with.

Don't hold on to your high school friends too tightly. This rule especially applies to anyone you graduate with who also comes to your school. Sure you can still talk to them and say hello in passing, but college is a world of opportunity. By only associating yourself with people you already know, you are closing yourself off to meeting other interesting people. You don't want college to be the exact same thing as high school.

Going to college is a major transition in life and making new friends is just a part of it. By getting yourself out in the open and being friendly to anyone you meet, you will have a circle of friends in no time. These may even be your friends right until commencement day. When you do start friendships, make sure you work at them to keep them solid through senior year.