Making friends with classmates. You know a lot about how to be a good student, how to study, how to do assignments, how to participate in class, but there's more to life than study. You can get much more out of your university experience if you make friends and get involved in some activities outside of class. What can you do to make new friends? Be proactive; that is, take action to make the things you want happen. If you want to make new friends, don't wait for other people to reach out to you. Introduce yourself to others around you, like students in your classes or people living near you. It doesn't have to be formal, just say, "Hi, I'm Amy." Or "My name's Amy." A handshake is good but not required. Most universities have many clubs and organizations that students can join, focusing on different hobbies, sports, academic subjects, or many other areas. Joining a club is a great way to meet people who have similar interests to yours. There will probably be many activities available too, ranging from get togethers in a dorm, to lectures on interesting subjects. Keep an eye out for announcements of these and give them a try. As you get to know more people, you'll see there are many differences among them. Different races, nationalities, religious beliefs, and languages, different genders and sexual orientations, different ages, and abilities. These differences are neither good nor bad, but unique and special. There's something to be appreciated and valued. After you meet a new friend, how can you maintain a good friendship? Think about the qualities you'd want in a good friend, someone who's loyal, helpful, and supportive when times are tough. Try to show those qualities toward your friends. Show interest in your friend's life, what's happening? Are they having any problems that you might be able to help with? You can build trust with a friend when there's open communication. Express your ideas and feelings openly and honestly but with respect and consideration. Time management can also be an issue in a friendship. You'll want to spend a comfortable amount of time with friends. But if hanging out starts to leave you no time for other important activities like study or sleep, you may have to cut back, keep an appropriate amount of time for everything. Even in the strongest friendships there may be misunderstandings. Be mature when you argue, communicate honestly about the problem, and try to understand your friend's point of view. Try to solve the disagreement in a peaceful, mature way. We've been talking about making friends and many of those friends will not be speakers of your native language, so why haven't we talked about language? Actually, language skill is only one small factor in making and keeping friends. Your confidence, attitude, and willingness to try to understand other cultures are much more important and more valuable. In conclusion, have confidence and try to talk to new people, be proactive, understand, and value differences, and do what it takes to be a good friend and you can make friendships that will last a lifetime.
