Studying abroad and feeling lonely?
The best way to handle this is to meet more and more people. This way, you will end up making more friends. You might wonder: how long does it take to make friends in college? The answer depends on you. It is all about your willingness to seek out opportunities to meet and interact with people.
Be a part of social clubs and culture groups
The best advice for students is to join programs and clubs and socialise right away to try to make friends. Make it a point to attend events. Get involved in campus groups or clubs. This will help you find potential friends and have fun when you are not in class. Plus you will discover new interests and communities.
Things to keep in mind
• Check your college events calendar. You can find campus events to match your preferences. These could range from performances to special lectures to parties. Attend anything that sounds like fun so you can meet people with similar interests. This is the bunch that may become your friends.
• Attend sporting events. Sports are an important part of any university culture, especially on college campuses. Seek out sporting events throughout the school year. Plus, you can invite people to join you or start chatting with people sitting nearby. You can get to know sports lovers of all kinds. Or you can even join a sports club on campus.
• Explore your new home. Organise a trip to visit local tourist sites, museums, or events. You can invite neighbours, classmates, and other people you meet. The best part is that you can all discover fun places together.
• Consider campus jobs. A campus job can help you earn some extra money. All this, while you also get to know different people on campus. Talk to your international student advisor about campus jobs that will boost your resume. And add value to your social relationships.
• Start a study group. This can help if you need a little extra help in class or just prefer learning with friends. A study group can help you get to know people in your classes better.
• Join a fraternity or sorority. These social and academic organisations can help you meet lots of people. It helps you build a group of friends. Do your research before joining so that you can find one that is a good fit.
• Find a club. Most college campuses have clubs for just about everything. Joining a campus club is a great way to meet fellow college students with similar interests. If there is not already a club for what you enjoy, start one!
Stay connected
You can also meet potential friends by just talking to people in your classes. Strike up a conversation and remember to smile. Like this, you seem open and interested in meeting people. A smile is a great way to put others at ease. Most people will be happy to meet you. And in no time you will have a growing bunch of friends around you!