Finding Your College Friends - Social Wellness
Hi everyone! Linnea here! Today I’ll be talking a little about Social Wellness. Earlier this month Palmer talked about getting involved on campus, which is a great way to meet new people and serve your interests, but I’ll be talking more about building a social support system in college and finding those “forever friends” that you hear people talking about.
College is hard. I think we can all agree with that, but one thing that eases the stress of classes, extracurriculars, work, or whatever it may be is friends! Having a close group of friends who pick you up when you’re down and stick by you when the going gets tough makes college life a heck of a lot easier and so much more fulfilling. However, finding these friends can be really hard, especially if you’re coming to Clemson from out of state or don’t know many people when you get here. As fun as being in college can be the first few weeks, after awhile it can get pretty lonely. This is why having a group of friends you can count on and spend time with is so important.
Here are a few tips (from my personal experience) for finding a close group of college friends!
Be open to living with new people! Even though I came into Clemson with a roommate that I knew, the best decision I ever made was choosing to live with random suite mates. Once we toughed out the first few days of awkwardness, they both became very close friends of mine and one I still live with!
Use group study spaces and the Honors Center for socializing (and studying too)! I know for us Honors students this sounds counterintuitive (and can be somewhat of an annoyance for those of us actually trying to grind) but this is a great way to meet and befriend other Honors students! Freshman year, I met one of my best friends in a study room in Core because we were both writing the same lab report until late into the night!
Talk to people on your hall! This is what the study rooms and lounges are for (okay maybe just the lounge) but seriously! I met all of my best friends on the fourth floor of Core C my freshman year and wouldn’t have had it any other way!
Don’t isolate yourself in class. This is definitely my tendency on the first day of class but for some odd reason I took a chance this semester and have made great friends in a few of my classes! This also helps when it comes to studying for exams (or finding group members for dreaded group projects).
Get to know your friends’ friends! Not many of my high school friends followed me to Clemson, so it was a little hard to make new friends outside of my suite mates. However, my suite mates both introduced me to a lot of really cool people that I’m now very close with! One of my best friends actually went to high school with my suite mate, which is how we met!
Just be open to new experiences and new people. As much as college is about getting a degree, it’s also about meeting new people and taking part in a new experience. In the end, just being open to these new things can bring you your best friends!
As Honors students, we like to prioritize our academics, service opportunities, or leadership positions over everything, but sometimes we just need a break. Take time for yourself, be with your friends, and if you don’t have a close group of friends yet, hit up the Wellness Ambassadors office or one of our events and you just might make nine :)