Happier Students Get Better Grades
Joshira Perez Fernandez | Writer
Countless research shows that making friends in college can help you develop both academically and
socially.
When you form these connections in school, you have a strong support system. You have friends to talk to about anything in your life. You can organize study groups, discuss project ideas, sympathize with them over mistakes, and celebrate each other's achievements and good grades.
Students seek a good balance between their academic and social lives according to Janice McCabe, an associate professor of sociology and a researcher at Dartmouth College.
“If you want to make friends on campus, just start to talk,” said Cheyanne, a student at LCCC. “Find someone at school, anyone in class, and start to communicate with them. You can be friends with anyone if you keep an open mind. I don't particularly look for certain traits in friends, but starting with classmates can be a good start.”
There are many locations on campus where you can study and hang out with friends, including the LCCC student union and the library, which has several spaces where study groups can meet. In college, students are surrounded by others who share their academic interests. Some students discovered that having friends in their major helped them maintain an active life, both socially and academically.
The lines may often blur, but this can be a good thing. Ways students can check in with each other during their academic lives include when they have a paper due, they study together and quiz each other, and they help each other blow off steam when the work is done. Many students reported that seeing their friends throughout the day positively affected their mood.
"When I’m surrounded by people with good vibes, my mood changes,” said Rosalinda Perez, an LCCC student. “Thanks to college, I have friends who share my values, are constantly checking on me, and encourage me, even when I'm having a bad day.”