The Fall 2024 semester is coming to an end as final exams are right around the corner. Soon enough, we will be leaving for winter break to celebrate the holidays with our families. Even though we will no longer be on campus for a couple weeks, it is never too late to put yourself out there and make new friends. Below, I’ve listed some tips on how to make connections and lasting friendships with those around you.

Join organizations and clubs on campus 

A lot of the friendships that I have today came from the organizations that I had joined as a freshman. Sometimes, people are adamant on joining organizations due to a fear of not being accepted, however, that is never the case. Organizations are meant to bring people on campus together who share similar interests. They make forming friendships easier because of the interests you would have in common with everyone else in the organization. Having a common interest is something that is very important when trying to make friends because it gives you both a conversation starter and a special bond with that individual. 

Find friends in classes 

Friends can pop-up in the places where you least expect them to. For example, in your classes. I have met so many different people from my classes that I didn’t think I would be friends with. However, you will soon come to find out that you actually grow up with these people when you move up further in your education. This is because when you declare your major your sophomore year at Christopher Newport University, you are placed in classes that align with your major. You will start to see the same people in your classes because they declared the same major as you, and soon enough, you will form close friendships with them. Not to mention, since you both have the same major, you have a common interest to talk about, which is great for forming friendships. You can also form friendships in other classes, such as the Area of Inquiry classes that have nothing to do with your major, but are required to graduate. However, when you do form these friendships with individuals in your classes, make sure to find time to hang out with them outside of the classroom setting, so you can get to know them more on a personal level. 

Plan ahead to hang out

With the increased workload that we have a couple weeks before finals, it can be difficult to plan anything social in your calendar. However, it is good to hang out with friends, as this helps with stress and increases your mood. Since everyone’s calendar is so booked, the best thing to do is to plan a time to hang out and stick to it. Sometimes last minute plans can be difficult to do, just because of the ever changing schedule that we as college students have. Make sure to sit down and talk to your friend about when and where you want to hang out, so that there is full communication about the plans that you are creating. 

I hope these tips are helpful with being able to form more friendships on campus. Remember to radiate confidence and be yourself. As always, stay safe during the last couple weeks of classes and have a good week Captains!