Back to School Tips: Beat College Loneliness

“I never knew college could be so lonely…” College Confessional

Picture this. You move across the country to a new city to go back to school at a prestigious university and you’re living away from home for the first time. Exciting? This type of fresh start can be invigorating or can leave you with serious college loneliness. While people equate loneliness with literally being alone, you can be in a room full of other people and still feel lonely. “Loneliness is a painful and disturbing awareness that you are not feeling connected to others,” says Insane Twist.

Since college loneliness is a common concern among students, here are some back to school tips to help you beat college loneliness.

1. Strike up a conversation. If you’re standing in line at the cafeteria and you see someone with a cool hairstyle, cool shoes, cool bag, comment on it. If the food looks particularly delicious, say something to the person standing next to you. Says bwaybabs on Tumblr, “I’m wearing my KH shirt to class today, hoping one of the gamer geeks notice and perhaps strike up a conversation.” You may be surprised at how willing people are to open up and chat.
2. Join a club. If Glee has you wanting to flex your vocal chords, join the choir or drama club and meet other people with similar interests. If you have a wicked serve, join the tennis club and get involved in an activity that boosts your spirits. Being involved in an organization like this will give you a sense of belonging.
3. Get a pet. While not all schools allow pets on campus, you can always opt for a goldfish or beta fish. It’s a small investment and you’ll have something to come home to. Plus, watching fish or petting an animal for 15 minutes a day has been known to lower your blood pressure. Great college stress coping mechanism.
4. Do something for someone else. Reading a book to a child fighting cancer, making blankets for families in third world countries, or volunteering at a soup kitchen will give you a healthy dose of perspective, make you feel warm and fuzzy, and has the potential to make someone else’s day.
5. Go to school events. Check your college website for free events and campus activities that you might be interested in. There will be concerts, game nights, and crazy things like water fights to attend. Chances are you’ll try new things, stretch your comfort zone a little, and meet new people that you wouldn’t have otherwise.
6. Make new friends. Chances are you’re not the only one on campus feeling the blues. Instead of living with regret for not making friends in college, look for opportunities to interact with other people, make eye contact, smile, and say something. If you have things in common, invite them to get together for coffee and get to know them better. Once you’ve connected, stay in touch and be a friend.
7. Reach out to friends back home. Connecting with old friends back home can be a good temporary boost to help you feel included while you’re adjusting to college life. A word of caution, just don’t rely wholeheartedly on your old friendships to buoy you up through college.
8. Try new things. College is a time to open your horizons and discover new things you like, for example dancing, poetry, racquetball, tennis, cooking, golf, astronomy, international cinema, study abroad, and much more.