Building relationships is key for first-year college students – here are 5 easy ways to meet new friends and mentors

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Research for decades has shown that the relationships students cultivate in college – with professors, staff and fellow students – are key to success.

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The ConversationThe Conversation
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https://theconversation.com/building-relationships-is-key-for-first-year-college-students-here-are-5-easy-ways-to-meet-new-friends-and-mentors-210756https://theconversation.com/building-relationships-is-key-for-first-year-college-students-here-are-5-easy-ways-to-meet-new-friends-and-mentors-210756
Retrieved on: 
Friday, August 11, 2023
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LaGuardia Community College, Learning, Oakton College, Employment, University, College, Teaching and learning center, Nevada State College, Elon University, Chapel Hill, Research, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Science, Oakton, Organization, Syndrome, LaGuardia Airport, Student, Population, Purdue University, Elon, Achievement Medal, Color, Management, Nursing, Tutoring
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NEVADA, NORTH CAROLINA, NEW YORK CITY
Summary
Key Points: 
  • Research for decades has shown that the relationships students cultivate in college – with professors, staff and fellow students – are key to success.
  • Simply put, human connections matter for learning and well-being in college – they also set students up for professional and personal fulfillment after they graduate.
  • What can college students do to harness this power to support their academic success and personal well-being?

1. Talk to a professor

    • You don’t need to connect with every professor right away.
    • You can seek help in or guidance about the class, or you can ask the professor about their professional background.
    • A national poll of college graduates found that 60% met their most influential faculty mentor in college during their first year.

2. Make a friend in class

    • First-year students often feel alone in big introductory courses and in online classes, but those can be opportunities to connect with students who will help you succeed.
    • They also tend to be less stressed by their classes.

3. Use the resources that are there for you

    • These range from writing and tutoring programs to student organizations, counseling centers, and resource hubs for students who identify as LGBTQ+, first-generation, students of color, or who have a disability.
    • “Whenever I would run into them, I knew they believed in me and wanted me to succeed,” Mirella told us.

4. Participate in a ‘relationship accelerator’

    • “Relationship accelerators” is the term we use to describe campus experiences that help students integrate classroom learning with real-world experiences in powerful ways.
    • For example, your campus job supervisor can help you learn valuable new skills and can challenge you to integrate your paid work with your academic learning.

5. Connect with yourself

    • First, don’t lose sight of who you are and the many strengths you bring with you to college.
    • Trusting yourself – and challenging yourself – is vital to your success in school and in life.
    • We promise that if you pursue meaningful relationships, you’ll be setting yourself up well to thrive in college.
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