Going to college is a big change for everyone whether you live on campus or not. Classes are different from what you were used to. The people around you do not really know you as much as those who were with you in high school —students and teachers included—. Everything is just different and it takes you awhile to find your space, to create your comfort zone. It can sometimes be a scary process and we are all looking for at least one person we can connect with. That is when creating meaningful friendships becomes so important.

Nowadays, it has become really hard to find friends who are not fake, who are not just around when it is convenient for them. We live in an era when everything happens too fast and people come and go at the same speed. Most people, particularly in college, are too focused on their own path and forget the importance of creating bonds that matter. That is what makes it so difficult to find those who truly want to be in your life and who truly care about you and your feelings. However, as hard as it may be, college can also become the one place where you find friendships that will last a lifetime.

Those classes, clubs, extracurricular activities, and even volunteering events are probably where you will find people who are into the same things you are. You will be surrounded by people who are motivated by the same goals and who have dreams similar to yours. They chose that college and that major for the same reasons you did, so it is probably safe to say you have a lot in common. And that is what starts some of the best friendships you can ever have.

A lot of people around you will tell you the connections you make in college are the ones that will get you your dream job. That you need to create bonds with people who will help you accomplish your professional goals. As true as that is, you should also find the time and the means to connect with people who will help your personal life improve. The kind of people who will grow and mature right by your side while you start exploring your job opportunities. Those are the friendships who will last a lifetime; those are the people who will be standing by you on your most meaningful days.

In college, I met one of my closest friends; a girl I am so proud to call my best friend and who I know will be there on my wedding day and the day I give birth to my kids. We found each other in class and realized we had more in common than just our major. We created a bond that will last a lifetime. That is why I know how important and meaningful it is to find a good group of friends in college. Those people will have your back and will always answer the phone.

Do not force bonds, the good ones will come on their own. Look for people who will be good for networking but also those who will uplift your soul. Having friends by your side during semesters of hard work, stress, anxiety, and also fun times is so important. And then, when you are older, you will look around you and those same people will still be by your side.