You have been waiting for this day since you opened your acceptance letter. You are at your dream school starting a new chapter of your life, and you can’t wait! But eventually, you will face the reality of no longer being with your old squad.
I’m from California, meaning I am starting college 2, 200 miles away from home. Unlike others, no one else from my high school graduating class came to Georgetown. I needed to make new friends. Obviously, this task has challenges. However, Georgetown is filled with amazing, caring people who are all trying to find friends as well. What I’ve found is that making friends on the Hilltop simply requires patience and a little effort!
Classes
Meeting people in your classes is a great way to make new friends! You can bond over frustrations with homework, group projects, or field trips. Your classmates can be some of the best, and most helpful, friends to have! It just requires putting in the effort to talk to them.
Going Out of Your Comfort Zone
Be adventurous! Sign up for activities you wouldn’t normally do and reach out to people you wouldn’t normally befriend. Making friends in a new environment is hard enough without limiting yourself. I met one of my best friends, Adi, during New Student Orientation, and we decided to go kayaking in white water rapids. I had never done anything like it, but it allowed me to make more friends. Putting yourself out there, even though it may be difficult at first, will pay off in the long run!
Clubs
Joining clubs and extracurriculars is a great way to make friends! While clubs here are notoriously selective, it is completely possible to find your group. Through Pep Band, Cornerstone, and Philodemic Society, I have made wonderful new friends. Look for people who have common interests, and don’t get discouraged if you get rejected from some clubs along the way.
Even though starting a new school year without my usual friends was difficult, you will come to form amazing, and sometimes surprising, friendships with your fellow Hoyas. Just have patience, and embrace all that the Hilltop has to offer!