Making friends in college can be a daunting task. With all the new faces, it can be hard to know where to start. But don’t worry, you’re not alone. According to recent statistics, nearly 80% of college students report having at least one close friend on campus.
In this blog post, we’ll look at some ways you can make friends in college and the statistics that back them up. We’ll also explore the importance of having a strong social network in college and how it can benefit you in the long run. So let’s get started.
Making Friends In College: The Most Important Statistics
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decrease in socializing time for college students, leading to a 90% increase in depression rates.
A majority of teenagers have close friends from different racial or ethnic backgrounds, genders, and religions, with 87% of teens attributing their school as an important place for making friends.
Making Friends In College: Statistics Overview
Over 70% of college students surveyed believe it is important for their college to offer chances to interact with people of diverse religious and non-religious beliefs. And 64% of those who had no such friendships before college had formed at least one by the end of their first year.
This shows that students are open to forming friendships with people from different backgrounds and are willing to work through disagreements, which is important for creating an inclusive and diverse college environment.
Making Friends in College During the Pandemic
60% of college students experienced loneliness and isolation due to reduced personal interaction during the pandemic.
It shows that virtual learning environments can make it harder for students to make friends or maintain existing friendships, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Students are also more likely to choose friends as study partners, with successful students being named more frequently than unsuccessful students.
Due to this fact, we can emphasize the importance of understanding social network dynamics in educational settings in order to promote student success. Prioritizing networking and learning to be independent during college is more important than academic achievement for life outcomes.
The Importance of Social Connections
People have an average of 150 social connections of varying degrees of closeness, and friends provide physical, moral, social, and emotional support, acting as a circle of altruism to protect us from suffering and harm.
Understanding the power of friendship and the number of social connections we can maintain is important for college students, as it can help them form meaningful relationships and build a strong support system. It can also help them understand the importance of maintaining relationships and the impact it can have on their well-being.
The Role of Social Media for Mental Health
The excessive use of social media during the pandemic can lead to depression, as those who use it more frequently are 2.7 times more likely to experience depression.
An unrestrained use of social media can be detrimental to mental health, especially during the pandemic when physical social interactions are limited. This is especially important for college students who are trying to make friends, as it is important to prioritize face-to-face interactions with friends and family in order to maintain positive mental health.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decrease in socializing time for college students, leading to a 90% increase in depression rates.
Diversity in Social Connections
Dr. Bahns’ study found that people who value diversity tend to have diverse friends in terms of race, religion, and sexual orientation, but prefer friends who share similar attitudes and values. People are more likely to form friendships with those who share similar values and attitudes, even if they come from different backgrounds. This can help inform strategies for making friends in college, such as joining clubs or organizations that share similar values and attitudes.
A majority of teenagers have close friends from different racial or ethnic backgrounds, genders, and religions, with 87% of teens attributing their school as an important place for making friends.
This shows that teenagers are open to making friends from different backgrounds and that school is a significant place for making friends. It can help inform college students on how to make friends in college, as they can look to their school as an influential place to make connections.
Conclusion
Making friends in college can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right attitude and a willingness to put yourself out there, you can make friends in college and have a great time. College is a great place to meet new people and make lifelong connections.
Statistics show that college students are more likely to make friends in college than those who don’t attend college. So don’t be afraid to take the plunge and make some new friends.
References
1 – https://ehe.osu.edu/news/listing/friendships-matter-how-college-students-are-bridging-polarizing-differences#:~:text=By%20the%20end%20of%20their,the%20end%20of%20the%20year.
2 – https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/friendship-and-the-life-and-longevity-of-college-learners/
3 – https://www.cleveland.edu/blog-post/~post/making-friends-in-college-vital-to-your-success-20200803/
4 – https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4329.12176
5 – https://collegefinance.com/college-admissions/priorities-and-success
6 – https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_you_should_prioritize_your_friendships
7 – https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/making-friends-in-college-during-pandemic/
8 – https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/08/magazine/making-friends-while-attending-college-classes-zoom-is-tough/
9 – https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/11/28/teens-friendships-and-online-groups/
10 – https://researchoutreach.org/articles/diversity-beliefs-friendship-formation/
