Making friends is community college can be a little more complicated than on a traditional college campus.
If you are new to the school and want to make sure you can make new friends and experience the real college life, we will help.
There are lots of easy and great ways to make friends in community college, and you can start them today.
Here are our top ten.
How to Make Friends in Community College
1. Get a Job
There are lots of great reasons to get a job when you start at a community college.
Not only are you going to be able to make a little extra money to pay for school, but you can make some friends as well.
We love the idea of looking for a job on campus.
A college campus generally loves to hire their students for jobs.
They know that, if a student is attending a school, they will likely care quite a bit more about the school and their job.
When you get a job, try to find something that will expose you to some other coworkers.
Chances are the coworkers will also be students of the same college, leading to more connections and friendships.
2. Join a Club
Joining a club is probably the most common way to make friends and meet new people on a community college campus.
Most of the time, there are hundreds of clubs offered, and they will feature everything from physical type clubs to thinking clubs to hobbies.
It can be a great idea to look for a club that is somewhat related to your major.
When you do this, you may end up finding people who are also in your classes, and it will lead to more opportunities for friendship.
Most of the time, clubs on a community college campus are very reasonably priced and always open to new members.
Some will require lots of involvement, and others will need you to attend every once in a while.
Choose something that fits your class schedule and course load, so you are not overwhelmed by adding this class to your routine.
3. Find a Study Partner
If you are struggling in a class or want to make sure you get an A, a study partner can be a great idea.
See if you can find someone who sits close by who may also want some extra help to study.
This is a great way to make a friend and get a better grade in your class.
Don’t feel awkward about asking a person to study because chances are they are looking for a way to make the next test a bit easier.
Some classes are more challenging than others and will present better opportunities for this.
Again, if you look for a study partner in one of your core classes for your major, chances are you will wind up seeing them in another class.
This is a great way to create a lifelong friend.
4. Go to the Games
Does your community college have a sports team?
Most have some type of team you can cheer on and support.
Heading to the game to watch and see how the team competes is a great way to make some new friends.
There will likely be lots of students at the game, and they usually spend time together in groups.
If you are on your own, you may get invited into a group, and you could find some friends to go to the games each week.
After a few weeks of going to the games, you might even get invited to other social gatherings within this group.
5. Check Out the Library
If you didn’t realize this before, the library could be a great place to make some friends.
Of course, you can go to the library with the intention of studying, or you can go to make some friends.
Generally, community colleges will have large tables where students can sit and work.
When you head to the library, try to sit at a table that already has a few people working.
If you recognize them from one of your classes, this is even better.
Sit down and start doing your work, and then see if there is an appropriate time for you to get involved in the conversation they are having.
Maybe you can help them with their project, or you have studied something similar in the past.
There are lots of ways to naturally start up a conversation when you meet people in this way.
Of course, you can go to your apartment and study, but by just spending a few extra minutes in the library, you could easily make a few friends.
6. Linger Around Campus
Some people think that, because it is a community college, they go to class and then go home.
This is not at all the case, and it does not need to be like this.
There is no reason you can’t have a great college experience just because you are going to a community college.
When you are finished with your class, look for common areas where other students are spending time.
These areas may be a study hall or a library.
You may find that people spend time at the gym, or there could be a student lounge.
Chances are there are lots of people spending time around the campus in different areas.
They may be waiting for their next class, or they may be looking to meet some new people just like you.
Sometimes a community college will even have a game room or a recreational hall.
Ensure you know the full extent of the building and the benefits your community college offers.
Once you learn that going to a community college does not mean racing home after class, you will have a much easier time making some friends.
7. Tutor
Are you really good at a particular subject?
You could potentially start tutoring some other college students to make some extra money.
In this process, you may also meet some great people who need your help and want to spend time with you.
Tutoring is a great way to earn some extra money and make some new friends.
In college, you have to keep your rates reasonable because most people are already pretty broke from just trying to pay for college itself.
If you can keep your costs down and you have an easy-going and fun way of teaching and sharing information, your tutoring business will grow quickly.
Many college students are in over their heads because of other responsibilities and things that come up as part of being a college student.
As a tutor, you can alleviate some of this and give them the hope they need to make some excellent grades in a college setting.
8. Plan an Event
Planning an event is a very aggressive way to make friends in community college, but it works.
You can be creative about the event you create, but it is best if you can choose something that will interest lots of people.
Have you thought about starting a 5k race?
What about a BBQ to support a local charity?
While you are in the planning phase of the event, you might have people volunteer their time and their help.
These people will likely become instant friends because of the help they will offer you.
You will also have a great way to meet people when you are running the actual event.
Not only does planning an event like this help you make friends, but it can help you make a name for yourself in the community.
If running a race or a charity event is a bit too much, you can start small.
Why not have a pizza party at your place on a Friday night?
Invite some other students in your class whom you have started to talk to or started a relationship with.
Having an event is a great ice breaker which can lead to the next stages of friendship.
9. Student Life Office
Most community colleges are going to have a student life office.
The student life office will be there to help students learn more about the college itself and what it has to offer.
There are probably clubs, programs, and events that you have no idea go on at your college.
When you go to the student life office, be honest with them that you are trying to make more friends.
These people are experts at creating relationships and helping people interact with each other in various ways.
If you are shy and you go in there just to get a calendar of events, you may miss out on a great opportunity.
For all you know, the person who works in the student life center was once in your shoes and is looking for a way to pay it forward.
You could leave the office with an invitation to a party the next weekend.
As a college student, this is the time in your life when you should start learning how to use your resources.
Our world has an endless number of resources available, and people just need to learn how to use them.
10. Play a Sport
Last on our list, but certainly not least, is playing a sport.
Just because you are in a community college does not mean there are no sports to be played.
Almost all colleges are going to have intramural sports.
These sports are more competitive than you may think, and they can be quite a bit of fun.
Even if you are not great at sports, you may have a chance to be a contributing member of the team or an assistant coach.
Playing sports is a great way to make lifelong friends.
Another great reason to play a sport is that it is a great way to get in shape and burn calories.
In addition to making great friends, you can get in great shape and keep yourself healthy.
Conclusion
Hopefully, our top ten ways to make friends in community college have helped you feel this is an easier project you have ahead of you.
Making friends in a community college may take a bit more time and work than it does in a traditional college, but it is well worth it.
Often, the clubs and intramural sports at community college are more competitive and more fun than at a large university.
Many people will admit that, once they found their group of friends at their school, they were able to make many more friends.
Sometimes all it takes is to meet that first person who can show you the ropes and get you into the social circles you need.
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