Making Foreign Friends on Campus

SDAD.edu

As university freshmen, having a thriving social life is important to maintaining happiness as a college student, so building new relationships should be high on your list of priorities. The good news is that you will have the opportunity to meet many new people in and out of the classroom. The people you meet can vary depending on your major, your interests, and the places you go. As our campus continues to welcome more and more international students and teachers, you will most likely have the opportunity to make friends with foreigners. 

For many students, building a foreign relationship brings too much stress, so they prefer to meet people from their own culture since it is more comfortable. However, by meeting foreigners and befriending them, you can make your college experience much more interesting and enjoyable. There are several ways that university freshmen can make lasting foreign friendships on campus.

The first thing to remember is to be brave. It takes a lot of courage to meet a new person, especially a person from a totally different background, language, and culture. All it takes is an open mind and the willingness to say hello. Don’t worry if your English is not good enough. You can use whatever you have learned. Most foreign students in Taiwan, especially those who have just arrived, are very eager to meet new Taiwanese friends. Why not be the one who takes the first step to say hello? Start by asking them where they are from and what their major is. This can open the door for a longer conversation. If not, you can simply say welcome to them with a friendly manner and hope to see them again sometime. Actively seek out opportunities to exercise your courage to speak English and meet foreigners.

 The second thing to remember is to keep an open mind. In her article, “What I Learned From Having a Foreign Roommate,” Purdue University student Sonja Schlobohm said that she was shocked to discover so many cultural differences between her and her roommate from New Zealand. She assumed that because they both spoke English, they would have a similar culture, but she found that wasn’t true. On reflecting on her experience, she wrote, “I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to meet an amazing new friend, and to open my mind to a whole new perspective.” This is one great benefit of making a friend with a foreigner.

Another way to make foreign friends is to share an activity together. Whether it is team sports or shopping, you can overcome the language barrier by sharing a common interest. This makes your friendship much more fun and interesting for the both of you. As you discuss cultural differences in the context of that activity, you will probably find yourself laughing and enjoying the activity together even more. If you plan to join a club on campus, which is a popular way of meeting new friends, don’t be afraid to invite your foreign friend or classmate to your club if he or she is interested.

In conclusion, three ways to make foreign friends as a university student include remembering to be brave, to keep an open mind, and to participate in activities together. By doing these, you will find that the benefits of making a foreign friend can go far beyond your imagination. You will not only prepare yourself for an increasingly globalized world after graduation. Sharing laughter, hopes, and dreams with someone of another country can make your university experience a memorable one for years to come.

Copyright: Prof Dave 2019