Making friends in classes

<p>*Making friends in classes</p>

<p>I can imagine making friends with your floormates since you can keep your door open for the first few weeks and socialize with everyone else. </p>

<p>However, I know some people say that they made lots of friends through classes. Small classes, I understand, but what about large classes (ie 100+)? </p>

<p>Do you start out by introducing yourself to the first few people around you the first day? If you had experience making friends in large lecture classes, how did you start? Also, were you successful becoming friends with lots of people in large classes?</p>

<p>I am a parent so my advice is antiquated, but...people tend to sit in the same area even in large lecture halls. Sit near the front, and you'll see the same people around you day after day. You don't need to introduce yourself, but if you make casual comments (about the weather, upcoming quiz, length of the reading assignment, oops sorry I knocked over your latte, etc.) and turn to people sitting near you with questions/comments about the lecture or the assignments, you'll naturally get to know people. It's a great way to expand your circle of friends (and find people to study with).</p>

<p>just turn and say something about the class or professor and theyll say something and you just go hi, my name is borat. they'll say their name. you ask them what theyre majoring in, you tell them yours, exchange contact or wait till next time.</p>

<p>I usually made friends through friends (ie my roommate for example) didn't really make one in classes as often because people are busy doing their work and leaving the fast as they can</p>

<p>You can start by asking someone a question you already know the answer to and go from there... </p>

<p>For example: "When is the next exam?"
"Oh really.... how did you do do on the last exam?"
"Yeah I did better than I thought I would too. So what other classes are you taking?" <---- last part is an excellent transition to further get to know a person.</p>

<p>I find that in large lectures most of the time I get to know people through other people. I'll sit next to someone I already know, and they'll introduce me to the people they know in the class.</p>

<p>Just sit by someone and casually talk. Ask them a simple question (like "Are you ready for the test?" "When is ___ due?") and then be like "oh btw, my name is _____". Then you can talk about other classes, majors, and other school related things (I say school related because this one girl thought that because I had a psychology book in front of me, I could help her with her relationship problems). Keep it simple and not too intrusive until you get to know them better.</p>

<p>if it's the first day, usually everyone is nervous and wants to find a "study buddy" or merely someone to call up if you lose the homework. </p>

<p>just sit down next to a few people that look nice in a huge lecture hall, preferably if they are not best buds already so they won't totally ignore you, and just say "hi, i'm soo nervous about this class! i heard the professor is a beast! what's your name? what year are you in what are you majoring in where do you dorm etc etc" and yeah. not that hard :)</p>

<p>In classes with problem sets you can ask the people you sit around if they'd like to get together with you and look over the homework (profs often encourage this, as long as you do your own work)...after a while you can get a small group going, and you can make friends that way</p>

<p>@ kevster1001</p>

<p>It's also easy to make friends if the class requires group projects. Spark up a conversation and see if you share similar interests with your classmates. Another way to make friends is joining student clubs and organizations that you like.</p>

<p>I think its easier in bigger classes. If someone thinks you're a creep, you can just sit some where not near them. :P </p>

<p>I would say the earlier the better. If I sat next to someone every class, and they were by them self, as was I, I would just be like hi I'm blah and shake their hand. Later into the class though, I would do as already mentioned and make comments about the class, professor, quizzes, etc.</p>

<p>(Parent’s perspective)</p>

<p>General rules: The first day of classes, nobody knows anybody. Everybody is from someplace else. Everyone is nervous about everything. You’re alone, but so is everybody else. Everyone is hoping that somebody will speak to them. You need to be that “somebody”. Try getting to class early. Find a seat. Make eye contact with people coming in. Smile, extend a hand and introduce yourself. “Hi, I’m XXX from YYY”. Nine times out of ten, the other person will respond in kind (and will be forever grateful that you spoke to them). After a few days, names will stick to faces. Remember, there will always be somebody more nervous and afraid than you. Don’t worry about extended conversations. Once classes get going, there will be plenty to talk about.</p>

<p>Have fun; be fearless!</p>

<p>You guys make it all complicated. I would just go up to someone and say, "do you want to be my friend?".</p>

<p>"You guys make it all complicated. I would just go up to someone and say, "do you want to be my friend?"."</p>

<p>Heheh... how could anyone say no to that?</p>

<p>Back in the days of the dinosaurs when I was in a college class of 300, folks would start a sheet of paper down the row. It would say "I'm starting a study group for this class. Here's my name and phone number. Give me yours if you want to be in the study group." --- most of the time the "study group" only met once or twice for coffee and chat but that was enough to break the ice.</p>

<p>I always just make friends in the labs. Although sometimes I'll just start a conversation or someone will talk to me. Don't really make friends in class, though, moreso acquaintences. Labs are easy to make friends in though.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the responses! Would it be a smart move to try the first front seats during the first couple weeks of school?</p>

<p>uh dude if i were you i wouldn't sit in the front. who the heck sits in the front row in general except for like ultra nerds and stuff? i'd just safely sit in the middle or something. front sounds like teacher suck up to me.</p>

<p>Although I don't fully agree with you angiee, I think it is something interesting to consider. </p>

<p>How do you balance between wanting to make friends and not sitting in the front (since those that sit in the front tend to want to socialize less) with wanting to do well in the course and sitting in the front?</p>

<p>For example, I always tape my lectures and take bare minimum notes. For my tape recorder to do well, I need to sit in the front. I also like being able to talk to my professor, and that interaction happens more if I sit in the front.</p>