It seems like a picture taken right out of a movie. Loud cheers from college students in matching shirts and holding signs greet the flock of cars that have lined up at the entrance of my university. A new start. A new journey. These were the first thoughts I had as I entered my freshman year 4 years ago.
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It seems like a picture taken right out of a movie. Loud cheers from college students in matching shirts and holding signs greet the flock of cars that have lined up at the entrance of my university. A new start. A new journey. These were the first thoughts I had as I entered my freshman year 4 years ago.
What had initially been a wonderful opportunity to meet new people outside of my high school community became a new challenge as I navigated freshman orientation on my own. As the kind of introvert that struggles with introducing myself or striking up a conversation with anyone, that first week of college felt neverending. Everywhere I looked, there seemed to be a new group of freshmen who found a solid group of friends who seemed to be what all the shows I watched growing up depicted: people in cool clothes, laughing at one another’s jokes, and genuinely enjoying one another’s presence (or so I thought).
For a while, I found myself dreading my introvertedness as it seemed like a hindrance to finding friendships. There were many instances where I subconsciously changed the way I spoke, feigned interest in what others brought up, and it quickly dawned on me that playing a part was exhausting and lonely.
Still determined to meet new people, I wanted to be truly intentional with my next steps. Despite my fears, I decided to take a risk and get involved with some student groups, even taking on some leadership positions through on-campus jobs. Through these jobs and opportunities, I met my favorite co-workers, staff, faculty, and even the best people to sing with.
If you find yourself wanting to take that leap, these were some helpful tools I found in finding community:
As someone who is still very much an introvert (most of my friends are fellow introverts as well!), I can say that finding community in college took some time and care, and I cherish the friends who reciprocated intentionality as well. While we certainly aren’t the kind of friends you see portrayed in movies, we all get to carry a story of our own, celebrating our highs and lows, battling loneliness, and what it truly means to be a friend.
WRITTEN BY
Bernadine Landicho
Bernardine Landicho is a new grad, recently earning her BA in Psychology. Rekindling her love for her hometown, you can find her boba-shop hopping around the Bay Area. These days, she’s jumped back to old hobbies like writing songs and dancing, especially if any ATEEZ or Seventeen songs are playing.
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