Navigating the social landscape of community college can be both rewarding and challenging, depending on a student’s circumstances.
People balancing multiple responsibilities like full-time work, school and extracurricular activities can find engaging in campus life and forming connections with peers to be difficult.
My demanding schedule requires a minimum of eight hours of work daily, including weekends. This leaves little room for socializing or building friendships since most of my classes are entirely online.
Students who don’t need to work to cover expenses have the advantage of focusing on their education. They have more opportunities to connect with others and fully immerse in the campus experience.
For students who primarily attend in-person classes, the benefits of making friends at community college extend beyond the obvious.
Most people like having someone to reach out to if you miss class. It’s also beneficial if you need an update on homework or simply not feeling alone while attending community college.
Higher education represents a critical period where you can take control of your future and shape your destiny. You never know who at Fresno City College is building a future that could benefit you down the road.
However, opening up can be challenging due to various factors such as past experiences, fear of judgment and a lack of confidence.
As someone from a different part of California, I’ve encountered these difficulties firsthand.
I relocated from Monterey County to Fresno County last September, and adjusting to a new campus, unfamiliar classmates and new professors prolonged the comfortability in my transition.
Adrianna Brown, a recent FCC graduate reflected over her years as a music major.
Making friends during community college was easier by starting conversations based on shared interests, particularly a common love for music.
“I usually kept to myself, but people naturally started conversations, and I made several friends,” Brown said.
If you don’t take advantage of the connections and resources available to you in college, you might miss out on valuable opportunities.
You may earn your degree, but will you have meaningful experiences to look back on?
Why not leave a footprint for those coming after you have left? Why not learn to speak up and do the things that you were once scared to say and do?
Don’t be a person that just attends college but make memories, engage with your peers and create your future all at the same time.
