Dear Mom,
I am a newbie at SLCC, having just graduated from high school last year. My problem? Most of my close friends attend other colleges, and the ones who are attending SLCC like I am aren’t in any of my classes. I know I need to make new friends but I am finding it difficult. Things just aren’t the same as they were in high school when I’d see my friends in the hallway or near their locker. What do you suggest?
Thanks,
Newbie on campus
Dear Newbie,
Although I didn’t attend college right out of high school, I need to let you know that I had some of the same college fears in regards to making new friends.
I remember one of my first days at SLCC, after I’d finally managed to find my English class, and a student asking me, “Are you the teacher?”
After that, I wondered if I’d meet anyone at college that I could call a friend. I was so much older than most of the students and I wondered if my interests would be in line with anyone but the teachers, who were closer to my age.
What I discovered surprised me. I not only met some great instructors, some I call my friends to this day, but I actually met a few students that I had things in common with, and not all of them were my own age but the ages of my children.
I discovered that just by attending class, I got to know other students with similar interests, especially in the writing classes I took. I discovered that if I participated in class, other students would get to know me, and that if I listened during class discussions, I would get to know other students.
I joined in with The Globe newspaper and met even more friends. I not only wrote for the various sections of the paper, but also worked with other staff members to create a great newspaper.
Often, I had time when I ate lunch to visit with other students, and when a group project came up, I met some pretty terrific people whom I later stayed in contact with. Even in those difficult classes, like math, I met some great people who knew math and could help me with it. I grew to enjoy people different from me in age as well as in interests.
In the end, I am still in contact with many of the people I met at SLCC. They are still my friends. And I’m happy to say that a change in location only expanded my world of friendships.