Making friends Hat

Making friends with locals and other international students

It can be scary to make friends in a new country, but it's one of the best things about studying abroad. Having friends from both your home country and other countries is a good way to learn about other cultures and have people to turn to for help.

Getting to Know the Locals

Get involved in campus clubs and activities
Joining a sports team, music group, or cultural club is a great way to meet other students in your area.
A student I knew joined the campus hiking club. Even though she had never hiked before, it was a great way for her to make friends by going on weekend trips with them.

Be interested in the culture of the area
People in the area like it when you ask about their customs, food, or slang.
I asked a classmate to explain American football to me before a game, and that conversation turned into a group hangout during the Super Bowl.

Join Study Groups
It's natural to get closer to someone when you work on projects together.
After we met up at the library on a regular basis to work on our group project, we became good friends and started having coffee chats every week.

Meeting Other Students from Other Countries

Become a member of the International Student Association (ISA)
ISAs plan events, mixers, and trips to get students to meet each other.
I met people from five different countries at a "Cultural Food Night," and they became my travel buddies.
Rely on Common Problems
Talking about culture shock, getting used to classes, or dealing with visas makes people feel like they know each other right away.
I made friends with a classmate while we were trying to figure out how to set up a phone plan. Later, we laughed about how confusing it was at the time.

Celebrate Each Other's Cultures

Cooking, celebrating holidays, or having language exchange sessions are all easy but important.
I taught a small group how to make Indian food, and in return, they told me about their holiday traditions. Now we do it every month.

Advice for Both

Be friendly and open. Smile and start conversations.
Don't be afraid of being turned down. Sometimes people are just busy.
Follow up—meet for coffee after talking in class.
Mix up your friends—having friends from both your own country and other countries will give you more experiences.

It takes some bravery to reach out to people in other countries, but those friendships can bring you the most happiness and support while you're away from home.