How to meet new people while at college

The following is from:  The Freshman Survival Guide

Dr. Richard Kadison, chief of Harvard University Mental Health Services gives this advice to college freshmen:  "Being an independent adult doesn't mean going it alone.  Part of being mature is learning when to share problems and concerns and when to ask for help."

When Stress or loneliness starts to get the best of you, fight back by reaching out.

The 5 best ways to meet new people in college (according to students):

1. Get involved.  You're not going to meet people by sitting in your room watching TV - you have to get out there.  Try going to smaller events that allow for more one-on-one interactions.

2. Live in a a dorm. There are all sorts of great reasons to live off campus, depending on the university, but when you first get there you'll find no better way to meet people than to live in the dorms.

3.Keep an open door.  Keeping your dorm room door open when you're there increases your opportunities to connect with other people on your floor.

4. Take classes with strangers. If you hang out with someone random from your one random class in the dining hall, then you'll meet their friends and your social network just increased threefold.

5. Eat in the dining hall.  A ton of people are always there, and you can almost always find someone sitting alone.  Also, if you can't find someone new, there is almost always someone you know to sit with.
- Chat with people in the dining-hall line who seem interesting and ask to sit with them when you all get your food.  That way you're all at the same part of the meal.  There is nothing worse than sitting down when everyone else is about to get up.
- Ask someone you recognize (from class, orientation, extracurricular activities, and so on) and would like to get to know better.  
- Stick to the big tables.  Must of the time people who sit at the small tables do so for a reason.  Go to the big tables and try to sit with a diverse group of people who look like they're all having a good time.
​
​​