Advice for Making Friends on Campus

By: Ela Rybak ‘25

Regardless of your stage of life, making friends can be challenging. Luckily, though, there are so many different ways to make friends. You can start college without knowing anyone and graduate having made some of your best friends.

As a sophomore transfer student, I was lucky to transfer alongside one of my close friends. We met as prospective USC students the year prior because we reached out to each other over Instagram. Connecting with fellow Trojans over social media is a great way to start out with making friends. Whether you’re a part of the same organization or realize that you have many mutual friends, sending a short and sweet DM is a great way to put yourself out there.

Meeting new people can also be as easy as running into classmates in the elevator or around campus or making plans to study together for upcoming tests. Study groups and group projects can introduce you to new people, and you might discover you have similar interests, even if it’s just a GE class. Additionally, asking people in the same major as you who you share classes with to grab a quick coffee together allows you to learn more about them.

Whether you live in a dorm or apartment, introducing yourself to your neighbors is a great idea. Many USC students have met their closest friends with the help of dorm groups. When you see the same faces all the time, a simple conversation can begin a new friendship. This could lead to hosting a fun event with your neighbors and possibly creating a friend group.

Social gatherings and parties can also be a great way to meet a diverse group of new people. When my friends and I go out, we often meet new people and make friends. It’s crucial to party with a group of people you can trust, so while you’re out, be careful, but also realize that a lot of the people you will meet are open to making new friends.

Joining different campus clubs or getting an on-campus job can also be an opportunity to connect with new people. Sharing the same interests and values is part of the foundation that makes a strong friendship, so as members of the same club or employees in the same business, that friendship foundation is already in the works.

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone by participating in fun activities because you never know where you will meet your next friend!

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