Many students make the mistake of generalizing about their university based on the few people they’ve met in their first months on campus. These students can be plagued by feelings of not fitting in, or of choosing the wrong school, and spend weekends and evenings shut up in their dorm rooms. It’s important for these students to get out on campus, try new things, and find groups of people with whom they can connect.
Our coaches often encourage students to put together lists of things they love doing, or interests they had in high school, and actively work to translate those into events, clubs, and extra-curricular activities on campus where they might find like-minded friends. When students start to form great friendships, college becomes a second home for them.
But choose wisely – if you can’t keep up with the partying or late nights of a particular group, keep looking. Hundreds of students we’ve worked with have had their college experience transformed when they joined the right organization and found the right group of friends. It’s worth taking the extra time to do this right. Research shows that solid social connections are a strong predictor of success in college.
