College Social "essential info" by Chloe Walsh

Be nice to EVERYONE. Develop RELATIONSHIPS with these people.

Yes, this is a basic thing you’ve heard about just life in general. However, in a college setting, it is more important than ever to spread kindness across campus, to your professors, your classmates, people who live in the same dorm as you, and, of course, the people you meet on the weekends at parties/formals.

Go beyond just getting someone's name, get to really know this person, because you never know what you can learn from this person.

I had a class my first semester of about 30 students, and I didn’t realize it at the time, but this class was so special because we all took time to really know each other, and we all made it our goal to make sure the person next to us succeeded.

We shared group notes for studying for the exam, we all bonded with our professor, and we all gained 30 new friendships going into the second semester. I met an out of state girl in this class who ended up being roommates with my (didn’t know it at the time) best friend!

A hack for when you forget someone’s name

If you forget someone’s name, introduce them to someone else, so that they say their name again.

For example: If you’re with your roommate at a party or wherever, and someone who knows your name but you don’t know theirs walks up to you, you still say “Hey how are you! Have you met my roommate ____?”

This way, they say their name and now you can call them by their first name!

You won’t be invited to everything. And that’s OKAY.

Whenever there’s buzz about a fraternity formal coming up, tensions between girls can weirdly increase. Girls start talking about who has vs hasn’t been asked, and this can be a weirdly stressful period leading up to the formal. The truth is, not every girl gets asked to every formal. The good news is that there’s Never. Ending. Formals.

Sorority formals can be super exciting because girls can ask their girl friends who maybe aren’t in a sorority. Don’t be disappointed if a guy you thought was going to ask you to a formal doesn’t - you have four years of weekends to stress about finding a dress - be grateful you get to take it easy one weekend!

Friendships develop over TIME.

At the end of my first semester, I honestly couldn’t tell you who I thought my close circle was going to be of girls OR guy friends, and honestly I still don't know. Meaningful friendships develop over days, weeks, months, of spending time with people. Second semester was when I truly started remembering names and hometowns of the guy friends I was starting to make.

Don’t freak out if someone from the college town you go to knows more people than you do - that’s inevitable. Look at it like they can introduce you to more people and you can have more friendships!

If you’re at a party, it’s better to be inclusive than not.

If you’re in a conversation with someone, it doesn't matter who, and someone walks up to the two of you, don’t just say hi to them,

but say: “Hey (their name), we’re talking about ____!”

I promise you will use this every single party you go to. A little kindness goes a long way.

When people in your dorm have friends that come visit them, be welcoming to them and get to know them.

This expands your circle so much more!

This summer I recently went to surprise one of my best friends in Houston for her birthday, and it was so much more fun because I had gotten to know her Houston friends that go to other colleges, but that had previously visited UT. When I went to surprise my friend in Houston, it was so fun to get to see her high school circle of friends because we had already established a friendship!

There’s a new group chat every month.

Don’t stress about a group chat that you know about but aren’t in. This is easier said than done, but if you go into college expecting to be included in every single thing, you will be in for a surprise.

This ties into my very first point-being nice to everyone. If you are nice to everyone, then it’s easy for someone who does get included to many things to bring you into whatever going out plan was created, because you’re such a nice awesome friendly person (because you’ve read The Bubble Lounge Blog)!

The overarching point that I want to make is that people may not remember your name, but they will remember how you made them FEEL. College is such an amazing opportunity to expand your friendships with so many people. Take advantage of it!