Your social life basically starts over when you get to college. To help you make the adjustment and start building lifelong friendships, Christian College Guide asked students at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago how they found social success.
Jim, freshman
"For me, making friends was mostly a matter of just going out and having a cup of coffee with someone I wanted to get to know. The hard thing was getting below the surface with people, because people have a tendency to be kind of shallow when they don't know you yet. I had to intentionally seek deeper relationships."
Naranda, junior
"I discovered it was important to be bold. So don't be afraid, because lots of people are scared, and they're in the same boat. Just introduce yourself in class and after class, and get to know people sitting next to you. Everything will fall into place."
Jennifer, senior
"When I started here, it was my first time away from home. The initial transition was easier than I thought it would be, because there was so much to do in the first few weeks. But after about a month, I started getting really homesick. Fortunately, my relationships were deepening by that point, and I was able to share with people that I was feeling lonely. A lot of people reached out to me and really helped me through."
Alvin, junior
"I realized I had to give it some time. Get to know people in your classes, get involved in an activity you like, but don't feel like you have to conquer the whole campus. Don't be overly anxious if you don't have a circle of friends right away."
Cameron, senior
"There are tons of opportunities to get involved socially at college. Talk to your Resident Assistant or another resource person to get ideas. Develop your relationship with your roommate—that's critical. Also, seek out someone who's spiritually mature and build a friendship, both so you can learn from that person and so you'll have someone to hang out with."
Sugar, sophomore
"In high school I was really outgoing, so I thought I'd make a lot of friends at college. But once I came here, everything was totally different, and I wasn't outgoing at all. But I decided I had to make the effort and step out of my comfort zone, or I was going to be a loner."
