... but it seems to me there are an extraordinary amount of people on this campus with little to no friends.
Even as I think this, my mind jumps to trying to make excuses for myself and others.
“I have tons of friends here!” “They’re probably just exaggerating when they say they’re feeling lonely”
But those excuses don’t always hold any merit. I think people are just scared to come right out and say it sometimes.
“Making really good friends in college is HARD”
Maybe some of you didn't have any trouble finding amazing people right off the bat that understood you and were like you. I am. I have several good friends here; don’t get me wrong at all. But it has been really hard to find people that I feel 100% comfortable and happy around. Then it occurred to me. I had felt this way before. In high school. How gross and cliché to remember that high school felt like that. I naturally cringe at words like “lonely” and phrases like “fitting in.” And yet… Here I am trying to understand why both are so relevant to many of my friends across the United States.
Here’s the deal team. It takes time. It takes time and unexpected experiences with people to bond them. By the end of our four years we’ll have plenty of people we’re extremely close to. We’ll have stories of nearly being arrested, pond hoping all over campus, and all-nighters that ended with us nearly overdosing on espresso. Those tiny things we do day in and day out, those risks we take with new people are vital. Because those combined with a little time are going to create the strongest relationships of our lives. The good, the bad and the terribly ugly in our life are going to eventually lead us to know people who are the rocks in our lives.
So as I remind you, I remind myself. Be patient and loving. Take a chance on people and don’t be afraid to get out there.
As cliché and horrifyingly cringe inducing as this is to post, I’m going to. Sometimes those disgustingly “feel good” commentaries are necessary reminders of what’s to come. So don't stress about it and enjoy college.
