Social Life in College

Find some time to join and participate in at least one group or two on campus. Volunteer to help other students. Attend college events. Mingle with other students on and off campus. Share your thoughts and feelings with the people you meet. Ask others about themselves. College is a powerful place to learn far more than you can ever learn from only a textbook. When you go to college, it may be the first time you have contact with a diverse number of people. Even if your earlier schooling, neighborhood or church provided you with this opportunity, college will probably offer an even wider spectrum of social contacts. This is a wonderful chance to learn more about others' perspectives and the world; to strengthen your social skills, help you develop positive attitudes towards others and yourself, and understand better how to negotiate the arenas of career and social life once you're out of college. Some of the people you meet in college may also turn out to be friends, and good contacts for future jobs and other resources. Some may be people you'll have disagreements with because of your different circumstances. These can all be of benefit to you. You'll very likely meet people from various age groups, religions, socio-economic conditions, ethnicities, nationalities and a wide array of other backgrounds. Enjoy this diversity, learn from it and your present and future will be richer in many ways.