How to be Popular at College

by Paul Chapman

Leaving home for the wonderful world of college can be a stressful experience, as many students leave the friends they grew up with behind and dive head-on into a new situation, a new location and a new group of peers. Being popular at college does not require the same actions and behaviors as in high school. Successful and popular college students keep an open mind and are willing fill their college days trying new things, but above all are accepting of all people from all walks of life.

Leave Prejudices Behind

No matter how hard we try to overcome or ignore them; all people have hidden prejudices that influence how they react to others. College is the time to put these unfounded negative opinions behind us as much as possible. You will come into contact with people from different cultures that choose to lead a very different lifestyle from your own. College is a time to try new things, and to expand one's horizons.

You won't be popular if you are perceived as set in your ways and closed-minded. Instead of making fun of or ignoring people who are different from you, ask to help with essay editing or some other activity and take the opportunity to make friends with those people first. Your peers will notice this trait right away and feel more comfortable being themselves.

Try New Activities

High school is a small and insular world, with a few hundred to a few thousand students sharing a small space and creating a situation where everyone knows everyone. College is larger and different community. Filling your college days with the same old activities, with the same old friends, will not help you expand your horizons and become popular. Every college offers a long list of clubs and other interest groups where you can try new things, like writing or essay editing for a literary magazine, trying out for intramural basketball or joining a debate club.

Here you will meet new people who share your interests. You don't need to go out and meet tons of new people every day to gain popularity. Better to sort through your thousands of peers to find those you share a lot in common with, and go from there.

Be a Good Friend

Your quest to become more popular and make new friends at your college or university should start from within. The way you treat people will be noticed, and taken into account. College life is the perfect time to learn to treat others with more kindness, respect and compassion. The rewards come in the form of lifelong friendships, expanded cultural horizons and memories that will last a lifetime.

This post was written by Paul Chapman

Paul Chapman is a crazy DIY enthusiast who has spent most of his waking hours in home improvements. 

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