Starting off school can be a scary experience. The environment is new, you are surrounded by people you don’t know and the only information you have about the place is from orientation. If you don’t make friends fast enough, it could get lonely. Here are strategies to you could give your young adults to help them make friends fast.

Join a Club or Society

The good thing about these is that you will meet people with the same interests as you have. Check out as many clubs as you can by attending various sessions until you get something that fits into your liking. By trying as many as you like, you will end up in a group that engage in activities you really like and that way you enjoy being part of it. To widen your circle, you can also check if there are societies operating outside your campus. Don’t restrict your interactions to school alone.

Get out of your comfort zone

Putting in more effort in your interaction will earn you friends and also expose you to different opportunities. It will improve your confidence and let you be easily noticeable by other students and tutors. That way, you won’t have to struggle with things such as getting math homework help as you will already have created rapport with fellow students. Answer and ask questions in class, volunteer to undertake tasks and such things.

Check Online

During the period when fresher are joining school, new groups and interaction forums will emerge online. There will be both the official groups and others formed by interested parties. These include specific groups for people taking specific courses, first years residing in certain halls of residence and the like. Once you join the groups, strike up conversations with fellow members. With time, you can transfer the interaction to real life. Other than making friends, such groups will help you keep in touch with what is happening around campus and keep you up to date on upcoming events.

Say Hello

When joining university, you will realize that fellow first years are suffering the same fate you are. They have limited friends to. Plunging in and approaching a stranger is, therefore acceptable. Step out of your comfort zone and strike a conversation with someone sitting next to you in class. Get to know what they think of various issues you have been introduced to, their reading list and what they are looking forward to most. Talk to the person next to you wherever you are. This could be in class, at the cafeteria.as long as it is appropriate.

Introduce yourself to Other Residents

If you are living in university accommodation, an easy ways to make friends is to introduce yourself. Get to know your roommates and neighbors and if there are any events prepared for residents, attend them to get to know people leaving around you.

Another trick would be to have your door open as you move in. This will create an impression that you are receptive and approachable. You may offer anyone who gets to know you some chocolates, biscuits or any other form of snack as a conversation starter. While the friends you make with the above techniques are not guaranteed to stick along throughout campus life, they will make your first year more bearable. With time, you will get to know the different characters of people and know whom to keep in your inner circle.