4 Tips for the Lonely Second Semester Junior

It seems that for everyone that I know who is currently a junior, this semester is going to be different. Regardless if they stayed or went abroad, juniors are caught with the same problem: make new friends or it’s suddenly going to get a lot lonelier.

Making new friends is hard, whether you are comfortably settled at Tufts or off in a new country. It’s especially hard when it seems like everyone is having so much fun in X place, doing X things with new friends that you don’t even know. Don’t worry, it’s going to be okay. As an expert in moving to new places and being forced to make new friends, I know a thing or two about what to do. So here are a few of my tips.

1. Talk to everyone, regardless if you know them and regardless if you have something good to talk about. Waiting outside a class? Ask if you are at the right place (even if you know that you are). Standing in a line? Complain about the line with the person behind you. See someone interesting on the train? Ask for directions. Really don’t know what to say? You can always talk about the weather.
2. Ask for people’s numbers or to add them on Facebook when you first meet. I know, you don’t want to be seen as too keen, but afterwards it gets awkward to ask, so do it early. It will be much easier to propose to do something together later and Facebook allows them to see a little bit into your world and vice versa which makes getting to know each other that much easier.
3. Try new things. Make a list of places nearby that you want to go to (museums, cafes, conferences) and then tell everyone you know that you want to do these things, especially all the new people you meet. People tend to want to try something new, especially by junior year. You will seem exciting and interesting and you’ll get to explore more of where you live.
4. Take a class, any class, and talk to people. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be best friends immediately, but striking up a conversation is much easier when you have a known common ground. Try SMFA classes if you are at Tufts or something at the local university where you are abroad. Plus, picking up a new skill can be useful and will distract you from being away from your friends.

Most of all, if you get lonely and there is no one nearby to talk to, call someone. If you miss your friends, let them know and arrange regular phone sessions so you don’t feel like you are in the big bad world on your own.