Arrive and Thrive: Navigating a New College Social Life
Starting college is a memorable milestone for many young adults. You find yourself in a new environment with unique challenges and experiences, especially when it comes to meeting new people, making friends, and shaping your college social life.
Like many other students, your high school social life may have involved seeing the same friends you’ve known for years. But now you’re heading off to college and starting a new chapter in your life—one that involves new people and new experiences. Luckily, many schools offer a number of ways for students to get involved and connect.
Attend Campus Events
Universities like Azusa Pacific have a variety of programs and events that showcase the different ways to get involved on campus and enhance your college experience. Many schools offer community-building events to kick off the new semester and celebrate with performances, music, and free food. If you’re new at school, events like these are a great way to see what student life is like.
Get Active
In addition to seasonal events, there are many other ways to join in, have fun, and make friends at school.
Are you active? Do you love to play sports? If so, join one of your university’s intramural sports teams and make friends while getting in shape. Intramural sports are a great way to meet people on campus. You don’t have to be a star athlete to join, you just need good sportsmanship and a desire to have fun.
Join a Club
If you want to meet people who are interested in the same career field as you or share similar hobbies, you can find them in groups that cater to specific interests. Look into what clubs your school offers—they could be based on anything (and everything) from performing arts and video games to surfing and robotics!
Don’t have experience in any of these activities? Feel free to try as many activities as you want. Everyone at college is there to learn, inside and outside of the classroom.
Give Back
Of course, it’s also important to serve in the community. You can play a role in improving the world around you and getting to know the local community by joining volunteer groups and activities. Here, you’ll not only explore creative ways to serve, but you’ll do it within a community of people at APU who share your desire to impact the world for Christ.
College is a time to grow and learn, academically, socially, and spiritually. Building and strengthening friendships will help transform you as a person. No matter your interests, you’re sure to find something that connects you with new, lifelong friends.
Posted: November 1, 2017