Making Friends in College

Starting college is exciting—new classes, new routines, and new people. While the idea of making friends in a brand-new environment can be exciting, it can also feel a little overwhelming. The good news? College campuses are full of opportunities to meet people who are just as eager to make friends as you are. Below, Tour Guide Kit Kringel '26 shares her advice on making friends and building community at Bryn Mawr. 

Were you nervous about making friends when you first started college? 

Of course! Going to college isn’t only about preparing for a career; it’s also about living independently and building your own community for the first time. Navigating that transition while also moving away from my immediate family and childhood friends made me feel super nervous, and I was worried about not being able to find a new community that I felt comfortable and confident in.  

What was your first week of orientation like, and how did it help you start building connections? 

I remember being concerned that I would be left on my own to figure out campus life before classes started, but feeling relieved when I realized how structured and supportive Customs Week would be. Having a few days on campus before the upperclassmen arrived helped to relieve the pressure I felt to get adjusted quickly, and it was wonderful to have a first-year hall group to bridge the gap and experience the college transition with me. We went to all of our meals and orientation events together, and as well as helping me feel less isolated and homesick, having a mini dorm community also made me feel more confident and at ease once classes started, making it that much easier to settle into the club and academic communities.  

What were your first few months on campus like socially? How did you meet your first friends? 

My first friends actually ended up being the other first-years from my hall group. After spending so much time together during Customs Week, we had gotten comfortable leaning on each other as a sort of buddy system while we adjusted to college social life. One of my hallmates and I went to check out the intramural frisbee team together (and ended up playing together for a bit!), while other people grouped up to attend art club meetings, major interest meetings, and club performances. Having that support system was great for me and my transition to the Bryn Mawr community, because it let me choose how much I wanted to put myself out there on campus at any given time – I could choose to try something out by myself, or I could join a group if I wanted more support.  

In what ways have you built community during your time on campus? 

Clubs have been a big part of my social community in college. Especially in my freshman year, having a social routine – especially one where other people were in charge of planning – helped me to practice my adult social skills in a safe, controlled space, and gave me plenty of downtime to reflect on my experiences and consider what kind of community I would thrive in. As an upperclassman, clubs have also been a great space to maintain community with people that I don’t see every day within my academic department or dormitory, and have been bridges to off-campus communities like local folk dance, theater, and volunteering. I especially love how many alumni stay connected with Bryn Mawr through the club scene, and it’s wonderful to know that I will be able to maintain those friendships and connections post-grad because of that original community we shared.  

What advice would you give to a new student who’s feeling anxious about making friends in college? 

There is no “right way” to do this. Everyone will have a unique, nuanced social experience in college, and the best thing that you can do for yourself as a new student is to give yourself the space and the grace to figure out what your path is. Practice building and using up your free time, figure out your own social boundaries, make a habit of being open about and proud of your interests, and don’t skip out on experiences that matter to you because of someone else’s opinion.  

"We are invested in each other’s joy and success, and that sort of support has been invaluable to my development as a young adult."  

What does “community” mean to you now, after being at college for a while? 

To me, community is the people who want you to be your best self and stick with you when you’re still on the way there. College can be a turbulent time, and you will be growing and changing every day, but I knew that I had found my community when I met the people whose faith in me made that change manageable. We are invested in each other’s joy and success, and that sort of support has been invaluable to my development as a young adult.