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The Magical Method I Follow to Meet New People & Make Friends (It’s So Easy!)

Isabel Petrou
Isabel Petrou
Isabel is an incoming sophomore at the University of Vermont studying public communication. She grew up in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where she frequented the beach often during the summer. Even though her heart belongs to the ocean, the mountains are becoming a close contender. Her favorite part of living in Burlington, Vermont, for college is its unique coffee shops. Her perfect day would consist of going to a cute café in the morning, then spending the day at the beach swimming and reading, then ending the day by shopping and getting dressed up for a nice dinner downtown. Through Dorm Therapy, Isabel is excited to be a voice for young adults embarking on their college journeys and hopes to make this big transition of life more comfortable for others in the same place as her.
published Aug 29, 2024
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I can still picture it in my head two years later: I had finished moving into my freshman-year dorm, and my parents had just driven away. As I was standing alone in my dorm room, I remember thinking, “Now what?” 

I didn’t know anyone on campus. And while I wasn’t necessarily worried about making friends, I felt extra nervous about meeting people who I would feel a genuine connection with — one that could grow to become a very strong friendship. College orientation is filled with icebreakers, but those feel forced. I didn’t know where to start to truly get to know people. 

This is when, after the first day of orientation, my suitemates and I decided to leave our main door open to hopefully bring in conversation from our hall neighbors. But when we opened the door, we saw that everyone on our floor was already hanging out in the hallway, just sitting and chatting away. I joined them, and the conversation flowed so easily. 

We all introduced ourselves individually, shared Snapchats, and asked about each other’s lives. We were able to find common interests with each other, which helped form fast friendships. I learned that one of my suitemates was just as obsessed with Taylor Swift as I was, and the same went for a few of the girls in the suite right across from ours! We ended up meeting up for these hallway conversations for the next two days, as well. 

I believe this was the reason I felt so comfortable with my hall neighbors throughout my freshman year. That initial bonding time built a strong foundation for the rest of my time on the floor. I mean, I literally spent three hours next to my suitemate as we both drowned in the queue to get Eras Tour tickets. (We both got them, though!) 

The IRL connections felt really valuable, but I also think sharing our social media handles was so helpful — from the start of the school year, we could see what was going on on-campus through each other’s eyes. 

I tried to approach the beginning of freshman year with that same openness in other ways, too. That first week of school, I also attended a lot of the events my school held to get to know other freshmen. I joined clubs based on my interests and formed the best connections. And I explored my college town, finding students all around, all doing the same thing — studying, going on a walk or run, exploring new coffee shops. I got to know my way around better, and I was able to scope out fun things to do with my new friends! 

Looking back as an incoming junior, I would recommend all of these things to incoming freshmen — starting with spending that first day in the dorm hallway.

You might hear that you might not stay friends with the people you meet your first week of school freshman year, but I am here to say that that’s not always the case. I made some of my very best friends who I am even living with off-campus this year all during that first week of freshman year. That time can be crucial — so make the most out of it!

This post originally appeared on Dorm Therapy. See it there: I Promise This Is an Easy Way to Make Friends Your First Week of College (It Really Works!)