So I think this is a better time than ever to mention the power and importance of first impressions! Since my blog is on meeting people and friendship during college, there's no better place to start than here. When meeting a new person, it's always important to immediately present yourself as the person you want them to remember you as when you leave. You want to be yourself, but you always want to make that self presentable and approachable. I know it's a little tough at times because you may feel that, while in college, there's some sort of standard you have to meet or maybe you've just always been that super self-conscious person who doesn't feel that they are good enough. You're not alone! No one here is alone at a campus with thousands of students from all over the country and world, so just be you no matter who that may be and I can guarantee AT LEAST one other person has a compatible personality and there is always an opportunity to make friends!
On the flip side, there will, of course, be those people who don't share the same beliefs or interests and you need to be considerate of them. For instance, if someone is showing you clear cut signs that they are uncomfortable with your conversation topic, change it. As I had mentioned in my previous blog, I had set a goal of meeting at least one new person each week. I had met a guy who we'll call John. We talked for a little bit and eventually I asked him what he did over the weekend. He responded with, "Got drunk with some friends." He asked if I drank and I said that I didn't. As the conversation progressed, the drunken night stories continued...and continued...and continued! I make a huge effort not to judge people, but the entire time we were talking, he noticed that I seemed uninterested and somewhat disturbed by the stories. That didn't stop him from continuing to share them with me. I don't plan on making any sort of effort to see him again, not because he drinks, but because he came off as inconsiderate. This is just an example of a way not to approach making friends in college, and I hope everyone learns from "John's" mistakes.
Hi there Quiana(btw, very pretty name!):] I'm enjoying your subject on your posts of boiling it down on how us rookies/newbies can make friends here at CSULB. And yes, I can't agree more with you on how important it is to be yourself (appropriate-wise) with new people you meet. Otherwise, you get involved in the wrong crowd and you'll simply be unhappy by not being able to relate to any of them! Right now, I can say that I've made acquaintances with some of my classmates and some of them as friends. However, there's still time and besides it's a HUGE campus to explore and find new friends in! That's great that you're sticking to your goal on meeting someone new; I'm sure next week's "stranger of the week" will be more interesting than John the Drunkard LOL. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cienna that this is a very interesting topic, a very interesting experiment, and I hope meetings with "John the Drunkard" types are few and far between.
ReplyDeleteI'm very interested in this post as well! I can totally relate to the "John" story, because since we are in college, we come to find that there are a lot more "Johns" than we think!I'm actually pretty jealous of your experiment, that is such a good idea and it will benefit you in the end! My family has always stressed that first impressions is something that everyone should take advantage of because it might be the factor that can lead you into a better future. Whether it is for a job, a relationship, or a friendship. Sad to say that John will be remembered for that! I'm very excited to see where these blogs go!
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