College Series Day 14: Making Friends and Finding Your Niche

This is kind of a continuation from yesterday. Making friends is going to be very dependent on orientation and your willingness to put yourself out there and introduce yourself to others. Here are a couple other ideas for making friends:

• Keep your dorm door open. People in your hall will feel more comfortable walking by and introducing themselves. Likewise, if you see someone, introduce yourself. It's can't hurt, and I'm sure they'd be happy to feel like they know someone who lives in their dorm!
• Get to class early so that you have time to make conversation with the people around you. If you show up just as class starts, you will lose the chance of talking to your peers and making friends. 
• Sit with different people at meals. My roommate and I are already moved in, and we were in the dining hall watching the freshman eat. This was this girl that we saw walk up to another girl sitting alone, and they both introduced themselves and started talking. That's what I recommend. If you walk up to someone sitting alone and introduce yourself, they will be grateful for that, and they will remember your kind actions.

Just like finding friends, finding your niche in college is important. Whether it's in the theater department like me, or with a frat/sorority, finding your niche is an important part of feeling like you belong at college. Here are my tips to finding your niche: 

• Try things you wouldn't normally try. If it sounds interesting, then give it a try. You may realize that you really like it and really love the people you are working with. 
• Take different classes to fulfill your common curric needs. Take a HCOM class, take a science class, take and anthro class, etc. I know so many people who came in knowing what they wanted to major in and then finding something they really loved more through taking different common curric classes. 
• Go to the involvement fairs. Learn about different clubs, and join some. It's okay if you figure out you don't like them, but at least you've tried them :)

These are just a couple of ideas. Just make sure that you try different things. Everyone is scared of doing something different, so it's no big deal. The worst that can happen is that you didn't enjoy yourself, which is fine because then you don't have to do it again. :) Hope this helps!! Let me know how YOU made friends in college/found your niche.