“You CAN sit with us!” Making friends in college

College can bring about many new experiences such as newfound independence, new surroundings and new people. As exciting as all of these new things can be, they can also present some new challenges. When it comes to making new friends we often find ourselves asking a laundry list of “what ifs?” about other people not liking our clothes, our hair, our taste in music, books, sports teams or Netflix shows. Not to mention how nerve-wracking it can be speaking to random strangers or forcefully participating “icebreakers,” ugh. Truth is, awkward moments when meeting new people are simply unavoidable, but the fulfillment and richness of finding your tribe makes it all worth it.

Here are a few ways you can get involved and build new friendships on campus:

Go to Club Fest.

Every semester at Augusta University students can attend this event to check out student organizations. This is a great way to see what clubs are available for you to join. Not only does this give you something to put on your resume, but clubs help you find like-minded people to become friends with. If you don’t find one that suits your interests at Club Fest, you can view organizations on JAG Life, or you can start your own!

Go Greek.

Greek organizations are literally designed to provide you with lifelong friends, in addition to offering you countless opportunities to develop your leadership skills, give back to the community, and network with influential people.

Go to class.

Your professors may suggest that you get the phone number of at least one other person in your class. DO IT! That person may good for more than just notes. There’s a chance they have an awesome friend group that is eager for you to join it.

Go outside of your comfort zone.

Check out institutional opportunities like Study Abroad, the Leadership experience, elective courses or Student Government. These can provide you with incredible experiences and new people to share them with.

No matter how you choose to make new friends, remember that a great college experience is about time spent in and OUT of the classroom. There’s a study group meeting on Tuesdays? Go to it. An on-campus job opened up? Apply for it. Going to the Homecoming basketball game? Cheer super loud. You never know where you’ll meet your future best friend!

Interested in joining the Augusta University campus fun?

You can find events happening on or around campus at augusta.edu/calendar.

If you’re interested in joining a student organization, see our complete list here.