Friends making in CC?

[u/Secure-Whole9413]

Hello! Im 16 and im going to start community College soon to start my nursing school prerequisites. I dont really have friends from high school because I was always focused on graduating early and getting good grades so I was curious if community College was a good place to make friends. I heard that it will be harder to make friends than a 4 year because no dorms and the different ages but im just hoping that I make some. Any comments or wtv help thx!

[u/Complex-Warthog-3201]

I think it just depends on how extroverted you are and how often your classes give you an opportunity to collaborate with your peers. In high school you're stuck with the same people 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 4 years straight, so of course it's easier to make friends. In a cc class it's more like 1-4 hours a week (or twice a week) for 4 months, with people sometimes twice your age and older, then you move on. If you're friendly and know how to approach people itll be easy to make friends, but it also depends on if there's people in your age bracket there too. Someone older than 18 should understandably want to keep their distance from a 16 year old lol! I'd argue it's easier to keep to yourself and focus on your studies in cc than high school, and you can't blame people for wanting to do that. Majority of cc students are adults and not looking to make genuine, lasting friendships.

Joining clubs or making an attempt to attend school events should definitely help your odds, as you'll be able to connect with people you don't just share a class with and will have more of a chance to stay friends with once your classes are over :)

[u/StewReddit2]

Of course situations are unique ....but in general it just depends on all those involved.

Different schools have different vibes.

I will share that the old adage that CC equals harder to make friends vs a 4-year is a bit misleading.

Because it assumes everybody at a 4-year lives in a dorm, which just isn't true ....at all.

The bottom line is YES, students that dorm are thrown "in and on top" of each other as typically 18yo just outta HS kids, with newfound freedom running around freely for generally the 1st time in their lives...so sure that promotes meeting new ppl....and making enemies as well if we're being honest.

Now students that commute/live at-home even at 4-years aren't in dorms and there experience can be pretty much similar to commute/live at-home CC students....just the same.

Some ppl feel incredibly "lonely" on big campuses as well, especially if they don't immediately click with a roommate and don't meet new ppl to hang with.

My point being that the environment is probably less important than the ppl involved.

*For example...my daughter finished college a couple years ago ....she has CC friends and she has Uni friends....which if you think about it, is pretty impressive because the CC friends went their separate ways to different Unis, for 2-3 years to graduate somewhere adding/meeting new ppl ...and yet those friendships maintained and endured the moves.

Just to say like in life it all just depends 🤷

Your 16 going into an adult space so your experience will probably be unique.

I've know 16/18/19yos that hang together....just find your tribe.

You will need to be careful though because as an academic achiever and go-getter CC does tend to have a larger amount of "cool kids" that aren't as academically interested....don't let them lead you astray....I've seen too many advanced for their age kids get caught up in nonsense trying to fit in.

Best of Luck and Congratulations 🎊