Having started college a little less than a week ago, making friends plays a huge role in the initial college experience. From the initial awkward introductions, to being overly nice and formal, to insulting each other on the daily, college friends make perfect friends for life.

Here are the seven stages of college friendships!

1. The awkward first introductions.

You have a huge, almost fake smile on your face while you awkwardly shake hands and introduce yourselves. From there, you look around in silence wondering what else to say. Cringeworthy, I know.

2. Eating together.

Because everyone secretly has a crippling fear of eating alone, you gather these new “friends” of yours and head to dining hall together. You continue going out with these friends when you need to eat, but barely talk at all in between.

3. Talking about nothing but classes.

As you slowly become closer, you begin talking more and more. However, your conversations strictly start off with being about classes, professors, grades, and intended majors.

4. Exploring campus together.

College campuses are full of amazing sites and opportunities to explore and get acquainted with! Exploring the campus with your newfound friends will not only make you closer, but also get you more hyped for all the years to come.

5. The inside jokes.

Unlike high school friendships, college friendships move very fast. When you all live in the same community, you are bound to spend countless hours with each other. This leads to a bunch of inside jokes that would make absolutely no sense to anyone but your friend group.

6. Spending hours in each other’s dorms.

Other than when you’re at class, sleeping, or actually studying, you spend every moment with each other. From having music jam sessions to having deep talks till 3 am, you and your friends are practically inseparable.

7. Forming a lifelong bond.

College brings together amazing people from all walks of life, who get to share their lives and experiences with each other. You laugh together, complain together, cry together, and thrive together. How could you not be friends for life!?