Oftentimes, college students find that they need to make friends when they’re in college. It’s common for people to feel like it’s difficult to meet new people and that surely applies the most to introverts.
Many introverts have trouble with making friends. So if you’re one of those, I think there are a few tips here that might help you if you want to make friends when they’re in college.
11 Tips To Help you Make Friends in College if You’re an Introvert
-
Make the decision to meet new people
Don’t be too hard on yourself if it’s difficult for you to make friends in college or to even hang out with people after class. If you want to start a conversation, but are afraid of rejection, just remember that most people are very nice and will probably not reject your offer of friendship.
Attend a class that’s an intro to something you’re interested in
Attending a college course is a great way to meet people who have similar interests or career goals as yourself, but it’s also easy for introverts. You get the benefit of having a common interest with your classmates and participating in activities related to this common interest.
Get involved on campus
There are plenty of clubs and organizations on college campuses for introverts too, so don’t feel like you’re excluded if you just want to go to class and study most of the time. Just pick a few extra-curricular activities that will allow you to meet new people in an environment where they want to be there. It’s unlikely that a group of introverts will get together to have fun so being involved in extracurricular activities is the surest way to meet people who are interested in getting out and doing things.
-
Join clubs
This tip follows the last one. So there are various activities during the school year and often, these will have social events associated with them. This is a good way to meet people around you without being forced to go out there and initiate contact by yourself. You can also find out more about the interests of others when you attend such functions. After all, this is the age where people are exploring themselves and their interests, so you can find common ground that way.
If nothing else, you can always join the debate team or something like that. The reason I suggest this is because most introverts tend to be good with words and ideas. This ability of yours will also help you in such activities, so it’s a win-win situation if you want to make friends in college as an introvert.
-
Join a club that revolves around something you’re interested in
If you like certain sports or other activities, see if there are clubs where your interests overlap with others at the university. This is an approach that can help you find a few people with similar hobbies as you.
-
Join a fraternity or a sorority
While this is not for everyone, it’s another option to help if you want to make friends in college while you’re an introvert. Some people shy away from this route because they have prejudice against them. However, not all people who join these groups are the same and there’s a chance that you can find some interesting people to be around too.
-
Find something interesting to talk about
I know it’s easier said than done, but if you want to make friends in college then you have to be prepared for talking to others. One of the easiest things to talk about is common interests-after all, that’s what you have in common with the other person. However, you can’t rely on that one aspect alone, so see if you can find something else in common with the person.
ice talking to people as often as possible but do so by listening to them first.
-
Find someone who is a good listener and ask them to be your friend
This might seem like an odd approach, but people are generally willing to help others if they see potential within those people. Most introverts don’t have trouble talking, it’s just the initiating part that is challenging for them. This is why you don’t go up and say, “I need to make friends in college.” Instead, start with something like this: “Hey you seem like a nice person. I’m new here and want to make some friends. Can we talk?”
The other person will either respond positively or not. If they are interested, have an intelligent conversation about something you find interesting. If not, then all you’ve lost is a few minutes of time.
. Find a study buddy or peer mentor
If you have trouble making friends in college and don’t get out much, it’s good to just find someone who wants to do the same things as you. They can study together and hang out without having to try to think of things to do.
. Be honest, but don’t put too much emphasis on it
If you’re very shy or don’t have a lot of confidence, try not to put too much emphasis on it. Don’t force yourself to make friends or go out and be social if you’re just not feeling up for it, but don’t let your introversion take over if you would like to get out there and meet people.
. Don’t feel bad about not knowing everyone
You might go to class with someone for a year or two before you realize that they have a name. In college, there’s no need to feel bad if you don’t know everyone in your major or every single person on your floor of the dorms. It’s just not realistic and it doesn’t mean that you’re doing something wrong. You might meet a lot of people, you might not; it doesn’t mean that you should feel bad about it.
And Lastly, I just want you to remember that while it’s important for introverts to make friends in college, it shouldn’t overshadow the overall objectives of higher education. Regardless of whether or not you make friends with your classmates, you should work towards learning and growing intellectually. The friendships that you make along the way are just a natural consequence of being in college.
I hope that this article helped and good luck finding good in your college!
Related posts:
Dating for Introverts : The Complete Dating Guide!
17 Best Jobs For Introverts To Thrive In! [ 2022 update]
8 Subtle Signs of a Covert Introvert Narcissist [plus tips to deal with one]
17 ABSOLUTE Best Jobs for Introverts with Anxiety [2023 Salaries Updated]
[Complete Personality Guide] Understanding the INFP 4w5
