As noted in a 2021 study in Social Science Journal, “Interpersonal relationships are central to young adults’ development and success in college.”
People who were bullied in high school can easily go the rest of high school without wanting to talk to others or being involved in any type of after-school clubs, events, or field trips. At college, however, students can reinvent themselves and find that the people at college have different maturity levels and are more encouraging toward others. In college, people who are in their classes choose to be there.
Many SCCC students need to hold jobs. But in college to branch out with others, you need to find a balance between work, college, and family. Even if you don’t spend a lot of time working, they can find some balance so they can get involved on campus. Joining even one club can make all the difference.
For certain individuals, starting high school was stressful in making new friends, but college is a whole new level. Think of all the new faces students see. There are students who are older and coming back to finish their degree, there are teenagers who are finishing their last year, and even newcomers from different high schools.
Make it a challenge to make friends so that you have people to talk to in class or out of class. According to a 2021 study in Education Research International,“More students were satisfied with their social life, and fewer found making friends to be harder than expected.” Students who have been at the same college for more than one semester found making friends a lot easier. The study also found that “Almost all students in all classrooms had made friends in college; most had made friends with peers in the course and were spending time with them outside of class.”
Simply spark up a conversation with someone that you see in your class every day and use that to build a friendship. Making friends in classes also allows you to take advantage of resources on campus and study with peers. According to the Yale School of Medicine, “…students who participated in Social Emotional Learning programs do better in school, academically and socially.” This means Yale research discovered that students with stronger social and emotional skills also performed better academically.
According to Denny Teason, Director of Eastern Campus Activities and Student Leadership Development at SCCC, “socializing and engaging with others can be absolutely helpful in developing a learning community inside and outside the classroom.”
Students can also use sports a way to meet other people. Many parents have said for years to their children that playing sports can help with making new friends and getting out of your comfort zone. An article published by The Baltimore Sun about the importance of sports claims that “As a player, you spend countless hours on a practice field or in game situations, and you share those experiences with only a handful of people – your teammates.” Forming a bond even on a college team can allow people to learn new things and make friendships and find things that they wouldn’t have known about their teammates otherwise. SCCC has a variety of athletic teams such as bowling, cheerleading, soccer, basketball, and esports. At SCCC, another avenue to connect with peers is to participate in Campus Activities clubs and events. Doing events on campus allows for a person to be social even if they have some degree of social anxiety. Students can meet peers who are going to be staying at SCCC for several semesters with you. Teason also notes that, “college is some of the best years of your life and relationships that you make that last years.” Visit Campus Activities in Peconic 122 to see what clubs and groups we have.
At SCCC students meet people who are physically different, who express themselves differently and who think differently. Having conversations with others can make it better for a person to get to them as an individual. A major part of college is learning the academic material so students can transfer to a four-year school or get out in the workforce. But it is also critical to grow socially and emotionally during the college years.
