A lot of freshmen put major pressure on themselves to find their best friends or perfect their routines during Orientation Week. As an introvert, just hearing this expectation sends a chill down my spine. After what some would call the hell of O-Week — socializing with randoms and setting up plans you know aren't going to happen for the following week — someone like me might become scared of the friendless possibilities of the next four years. Good thing I’m here to tell you that the world doesn't end after O-Week. The first week of classes can be the perfect time to make new friends and find your groove here at Cornell.
Plan out your first day. As an introvert, I despise having to talk to people when I’m stressed, so getting over that hurdle by planning out your first day is huge. Walk the route to all your classes to minimize any extra stress that could arise. With the size of Cornell's campus, it’s easy to get lost and end up on the Engineering Quad when your class was actually by Mann Library. It might sound excessive to take an extra hour to walk around campus, but knowing those details can save every bit of the social battery that might have been used for asking for directions.
Go to that club meeting. Go to random General body meetings for clubs that you might even be slightly interested in. These G-body meetings are the perfect opportunity to meet new people without having to be in the spotlight. It is especially helpful if it’s a non-academic club, so you feel freer to talk with like-minded people. You don’t have to commit to anything on the spot, either. Half the appeal of a first meeting is that everyone else is just as unsure about joining as you are, which makes it a low-stakes place to strike up a conversation and allow yourself to have fun.
Don't be afraid to eat lunch alone. It might seem daunting to walk into one of Cornell's many dining halls alone, but I promise — no one is thinking about what you’re doing. If anything, there are countless other students facetiming their friends back home, or doom scrolling all by themselves, too. Some of my favorite lulls of the day are putting on some good music and eating a quick lunch between classes. Having that time to recharge, especially during the first week of classes, is a must.
Go to that party the guy on your floor talked about. As someone who loves their quiet time alone, I've learned I can’t really appreciate it without a good mix of social events thrown in. And what’s a more perfect time for that than a party? First week parties bring a short-lived wave of joy— upperclassmen are happy to be back on campus, and freshmen are riding the high of their new found freedom. This combination makes it the perfect time to talk to random people. I met one of my closest friends by going to a random party and talking her ear off. If I hadn’t gone, I would've never met her! But even setting that instance aside, parties offer a free space to meet and swap numbers with someone who happens to be in your CS 1110: “Introduction to Computing: A Design and Development Perspective” class — and suddenly, you’ve got a study session set up.
Talk to people in your classes. This might seem like a no-brainer, but actually conversing with the people around you beyond just — “Can I borrow a pen?” or “What did that last slide say?”— can make a big difference. Connecting with peers in class who share your major is one of the easiest ways to form friendships. Even if you don’t become friends right away with the people around you, being able to put a name to a familiar face during your 8 a.m. lectures helps you not to feel completely alone. I've personally found my closest friends in the shared trauma of STEM classes — nothing truly bonds two people faster than a looming prelim.
Attend a free event. As materialistic as it may sound, one thing that always pushes me out of my comfort zone is the promise of something free. Luckily, during the first week, countless clubs host free pop-ups, often with the promise of a sweet treat or a cute stuffed animal. Even your own dorm building will likely host something similar, which brings the added comfort of staying close to home while still meeting the people you’ll be living with for the next year. And what’s a better way to feel more connected than free food and a built-in excuse to ask a new friend to hang out?
None of these tips mean saying yes to every opportunity, or forcing yourself into a version of college life you saw on TV. Some days that random party might sound awesome, and some days you desperately need to stay in and rewatch New Girl — both are amazing options. It’s less about pushing past your introverted qualities and more about finding your own balance. The first week of classes is as good a time as any to start.
Aariyana Edwards is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at aae49@cornell.edu.
