I had an odd start to college. From going far away, moving home, and moving out I spent the past three and a half years just trying to ground myself. I know I am not the only one and others share the same mixed feelings when they read articles or hear stories of people meeting their best friends in college. Its not that I have anything against it, I just never experienced it.
I have always struggled with making new friends, and I have often stuck with my friends from home and high school. Most of them have been there with me for longer than that, so when college started and I still had most of them around, I didn't think of trying to meet new people. I wrote off joining clubs and going to school parties, I just did not think it was important at the time.
Until my junior year of college, I never experienced meeting a group of people who I actually got along with on a personal level. The last semester before transferring schools, I took a theatre class that included world studies. To this day it was one of the best experiences I have ever had.
The class allowed us to search through our own identities, and work with our own experiences to create plays and projects. I learned about so many people and cultures. We all got along and always respected one another. I could not have asked for a better group of people to share that with.
After that class, when I came to my new school, I was so much more open to making friends. I started to talk to my classmates, get involved in communities outside of class, and actually enjoy going to school. It made me a happier person instantly.
To anyone who struggles with making friends, or doesn't see the need to. I have been in that position, and finding a group of people that you can open up to and enjoy your time with is worth breaking out of your comfort zone.
