How to Deal With Having No Friends in College

So, you are almost ready to head off to college? It is an exciting time in any student’s life – you get to leave high school behind and embark on a new adventure. However, it can also be a daunting prospect for many people.

While in high school, you have had several years to build up your group of friends and now it is likely that you are all headed off to different colleges – maybe even hundreds of miles apart.

What are you going to do if you end up making no friends in college as a freshman?

Believe it or not, this is something that even the most confident of people worry about! That’s why we have put together a few tips for how to deal with “I have no friends in college” situation.

Start with the Classroom

The most obvious place to start if you need to find new friends is in your classroom. Talk to your classmates – after all, you are doing the same course, so you must have at least one shared interest? A great way to make friends with classmates is to form a study group.

This is a win-win situation since you are going to have support when exams and assignments roll around plus you get the chance to get to know people better and perhaps form some deeper friendships. Assignments and exam prep are sure to give you something to bond over and if that isn’t the basis for a lasting friendship we don’t know what is! If you still haven’t chosen classes you are going to attend, consider the most fun classes.

How Do You End Up with No Friends in College?

As we have already noted, most people starting college will be coming to campus without their high school friends (you will miss them so much, won’t you?) However, there can be other reasons why college students find themselves without friends on campus.

• Perhaps you have transferred from another school mid-semester?
• Did you change your major and now have a totally different schedule to your former course mates?

It could even be that you just want to break away from your current social group due to differing goals or opinion. Whatever the reason for your limited social circle, there are plenty of ways to make new friends.

Join a Club or Society

If you have no friends in college as a sophomore, then it is time to put yourself out there and start meeting new people. One of the great things about college is that you will find a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs and societies. Think about what sort of activities you enjoy or subjects you would like to learn more about and see if there is a suitable club you can join.

This is going to give you direct access to people who share similar interests giving you a great foundation on which to build a friendship. It might take a few weeks to start fitting in to an existing group, but before long you will be inviting other members for coffee or other social activities.

Get to Know Others in Your Dorm

If you find yourself with no friends in college and you are staying on campus, then your dorms are a great place to start. Aside from your room-mate, make an effort to talk to others on your hall or even on other floors. It is common for dorms to hold social events in the common area from time to time, so make an effort to attend. Even if there are no scheduled events in your dorm you should make a point of spending time in the lounge, so you can meet others living in the building. Maybe you could even think about throwing a dorm party on your own?

Look for Friends in Library or Cafeteria

It is also important NOT to spend all of your time in the dorms. Make an effort to go out around campus. Study in the library instead of in your room. Eat your lunch outside on a nice day and strike up a conversation with others who are doing the same. You won’t make new friends if you don’t make the effort to get out and meet people. You can’t do that hiding away in your dorm!

Don’t Be Afraid to Look Off Campus

If you have no friends in college, don’t be afraid to try looking off campus. Check out local coffee shops, cafes and restaurants off campus and you might meet some cool people. You could also try volunteering somewhere or going to concerts and events off campus. You might be surprised how many people from college hang out in these places too – plus its good to get away from school from time to time!

Always Remember You Are Not Alone

It can feel like you are the only person on campus who has no friends in college, but the truth is that you are not alone. Even although it seems like everyone else is having a blast surrounded by great friends, you are certainly not the only one struggling with socializing. Never forget that it is perfectly natural to feel out of place in a new environment.

Remember that:

Others are in the same boat and are nervous about finding new friends at college too.

Try not to make such a big deal out of finding new friends. Just take the time to go out and have fun, meet new people and you will naturally start to build relationships with people. Don’t be scared to talk to people. Strike up a conversation and suggest hanging out together. Others feel as much nervous about finding new friends at college as you. All it takes is for one of you to make the first move.

If you need even more help with “not making friends in college,” you should also read our post on how not to be an outcast in college. In conclusion, there is no need to be too concerned about ending up being that one person with no friends in college. It is likely that you are going to find a much more diverse group of people on campus than you encountered at high school which is going to make it easier to find people you have something in common with. Take some time out to socialize and you will soon find some like-minded people to hang with.