{"id":6714,"date":"2022-10-11T01:43:11","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T01:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/?p=6714"},"modified":"2022-10-11T01:43:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-11T01:43:11","slug":"how-to-make-friends-in-college-with-social-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/2022\/10\/11\/how-to-make-friends-in-college-with-social-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Friends in College When You Experience Social Anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you\u2019ve found yourself questioning, <em>\u201cHow do college students with social anxiety make friends?\u201d <\/em>you\u2019re in the right place. Making friends in college with social anxiety might feel overwhelming at first, but you\u2019re not alone. Many students struggle with how to make friends in college, but we\u2019re sharing four tips to help you meet new people and create lasting friendships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is It Normal to Struggle to Make Friends in College?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes! A lot of people struggle with making friends in college. It&#8217;s completely normal to feel a little anxious about meeting new people. After all, you&#8217;re surrounded by strangers, and it can be tough to strike up a conversation with someone you don&#8217;t know. Having a learning disability that causes social anxiety can make the process even more challenging but definitely not impossible. Just remember that <a href=\"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/2021\/01\/25\/six-things-to-remember-about-making-and-keeping-friends-in-college\/\">you\u2019re not alone<\/a>\u2013many people have a hard time finding their community on campus, but there are things you can do to begin developing relationships with your peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4 Tips for Making Friends in College with Social Anxiety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>College can be a <a href=\"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/2022\/08\/17\/differences-between-high-and-school-college\/\">big adjustment<\/a>, and it can be tough to make friends. But here are a few things you can do to get started.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Start with Your Roommate or Dorm-mates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The easiest way to start making friends in college is to connect with the people closest to you\u2013your roommate(s) and dorm-mates. If you have a roommate, getting to know this person is especially important. After all, you will be sharing a small space with them for at least a year. Even if you don\u2019t have similar interests, you are both in the same phase of life and can connect on topics related to college. Start by asking what they\u2019re looking forward to most this year or what classes they have this semester.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re living in a dorm with lots of other students, you can do the same thing when you see someone new in the lounge or kitchen. Start by introducing yourself and asking a few basic questions to get the conversation started. Keep it short and sweet, and prepare a few questions ahead of time so it doesn\u2019t feel too overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Strike Up a Conversation with a Classmate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The next best place to make friends in college is in your classes. Most students arrive to class a few minutes early, which is an excellent time to start a quick conversation. Here are three tips for how to make friends in college classes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sit next to the same people each class<\/strong>\u2013while college classes typically don\u2019t have assigned seating, you can try to grab a seat by the same people every time. This makes making friends in college classes easier because you\u2019re not sitting by different people each time.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ask class-related questions<\/strong>\u2013one of the hardest things about making new friends is not knowing what to talk about. The good thing about talking to people in your classes is that you already have something in common. You can ask what they thought of the homework or a book you\u2019re reading in class. You can ask what they think of the professor or how the class applies to their major. By starting conversations about class, you open the door to see if there\u2019s a friendship there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exchange phone numbers once the class ends<\/strong>\u2013just because you have a class with someone one semester doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll ever have a class with them again. This is especially true in the first year of college when students of all majors are taking their core curriculum classes. So, if you make a friend in class, be sure to exchange numbers when the course is over to continue your friendship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Get Involved in a Campus Organization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Going to campus-wide events can be overwhelming, especially for someone with social anxiety. Instead, find a campus organization or club that\u2019s interesting to you. These groups are typically smaller and filled with people with similar interests and hobbies. That makes starting a conversation easier because you can discuss the club\u2019s topic. You\u2019ll also see the same people in the club every time you meet, and it\u2019s something you can attend throughout all your college years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Take the Friendship to the Next Level<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you get along with your roommate or connect with a classmate, the next step in developing a friendship is doing activities together. Here are a few ideas for initiating a hangout in a way that doesn&#8217;t feel too overwhelming to you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ask someone if they want to study together<\/strong>\u2013you\u2019re going to spend a lot of time studying in college. Why not ask a new friend if they want to <a href=\"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/2021\/03\/01\/5-great-ideas-for-college-group-study-sessions\/\">study together<\/a>? You can go to a campus library for a few hours to work on homework or prepare for a test. It\u2019s an activity to do that doesn\u2019t require much social interaction but still begins to build a foundation for a friendship.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Choose short activities<\/strong>\u2013if you\u2019re tired of studying and want to do something fun, ask a friend to grab lunch off campus or go to a movie. A movie doesn\u2019t require much talking, and lunches are typically pretty short. Both allow you to spend time with someone but don\u2019t require a long time commitment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plan 1-on-1 or small group hangouts<\/strong>\u2013if you experience less social anxiety in more intimate settings, make plans to hang out with someone one-on-one or with a few other people rather than attending a big campus event together. It\u2019s best to choose a place where you feel most comfortable and relaxed.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Find Your College Friends at Mansfield Hall<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As a college student with learning disabilities and social anxiety, making friends isn\u2019t a walk in the park. However, having a community in college is essential to your success, well-being, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/supersurvivors\/202106\/why-does-having-friends-make-us-happy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">overall happiness<\/a>. At Mansfield Hall, we help students like you connect with other students with learning challenges. By living at Mansfield Hall during college, you\u2019ll be surrounded by a supportive community of college students and advocates helping you through this exciting (yet sometimes overwhelming) experience. From social events and clubs to study sessions and downtime, you can go through college with a core group of friends, making the experience more meaningful and enjoyable. <a href=\"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/about\/\">Learn more about Mansfield Hall today<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We&#8217;re excited to be part of your journey toward a successful college experience. Feel free to <a href=\"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact us<\/a> directly<\/strong> <strong>with any questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve found yourself questioning, \u201cHow do college students with social anxiety make friends?\u201d you\u2019re in the right place. Making friends in college with social anxiety might feel overwhelming at first, but you\u2019re not alone. Many students struggle with how to make friends in college, but we\u2019re sharing four tips to help you meet new [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-skills"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mansfieldhall.org\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}