All good college friendships form by chance
There is someone out there waiting to meet you!
Photo courtesy of Stock Photos
Attending college can be both intimidating and exciting for many different reasons. Personally, I experienced a lot of fear and uncertainty when it came to finding new friends. For those who prefer not to go out or attend large campus events, it can seem like you will never find a friend group.
But you just need to let go of that fear, because it will all work out in the end. Throughout college, you will meet people through unique and unforeseen ways. Whether you meet them through joining a club, running into them at the campus bookstore, or just by sitting next to each other in a class—it will all work out. In our case, we happened to sit next to each other in one of our Block II education classes.
For us, the friendship sparks went off immediately and we became fast friends. That's how it is as you get older: your soul knows who is right for you and who isn't. However, our friendship did not end there. Entering Block III, we once again shared a few classes with each other and this time, it was not up to chance that we sat next to each other.
All of this is to say that you should never accept that you may not make new friends in college or that you need to engage in certain activities to make them.
In my opinion, some of the best friendships are formed unexpectedly and by what feels like fate. They may come about when two people just happen to be in the same place at the same time but they leave a lasting impact that makes you wonder why you hadn’t found each other before. It is reassuring to know that as we all get older, there are still people out there that you will make instant connections with, taking you back to that elementary school feeling of getting excited to go to school because you get to see your best friend everyday.
Nowadays, I hear about so many ways that friendships can go wrong and I think sometimes people forget that their friendships are still supposed to sparkle. They are supposed to make you feel silly, excited, loved, and appreciated. Friends are the people that will embrace your most true self, match with your energy, dance with your weirdness, and hold your hand through every one of life's adventures.
Lucky for me, I was able to find one of these genuine and rare friendships in a girl I randomly sat next to in class one day. Since then, school has been lighter, the workload has been more manageable, and the classes have gone by faster as I have the support and silliness of my friend to help me make it through. The days that we spend ranting, giggling, and even crashing out together, are days that I will greatly miss but are also ones that will remind me of how fun and childlike a friendship should feel. This is to say that I believe those friendships are the ones that will last forever.
Sometimes it only takes one joke from the girl who sits next to you to realize how fun school can actually be. Soon after I realized that my seat partner made me laugh harder than anyone had in a long time, I began to view school not only as my individual experience but as a place that was based on the connections I made with people in my class. Presentations began to feel a little less scary when I had my friend standing up there next to me, and lectures seemed a little less boring when I could send her knowing glances that let her know exactly what I was thinking.
If you feel as though you may never find a good friend at college, don't give up hope. Friendships are something truly magical and shouldn't be forced. In time, you will meet the people that are meant for you and the time you spent waiting for them will have been worth it.