This week on The Launch Mission podcast, we explored the social disparities between high school and college. Topics discussed included finding a new community of friendships, the distinct living conditions in college, and navigating an environment filled with uncontrollable distractions.
After listening to the interview, consider the most significant social difference between high school and college and how you can prepare for it.
Here are three ways to prepare for these social differences:
Stay in contact with your current high school friends, at least until you establish a new, complete community of friends in college. Visit them on their college campuses or plan to meet back home for a weekend in the fall.
Be prepared to meet new people in college but avoid joining too many groups too quickly. College is highly social, with numerous groups to join. While some incoming students feel the need to join multiple groups for acceptance, it’s not necessary. You can make new friends in the first few weeks without committing to every invitation. Remember, in college, you are often identified by the groups you join, so be mindful of what those groups represent.
Create a list of social values that reflect who you are, using it to evaluate social options in college. If your relationship with Christ is crucial, seek out a Christian community as one of your first social environments. If you have specific skills or hobbies that matter to you, use them to connect with like-minded individuals. If you have moral objections to certain social activities, keep that in mind when forming new friendships in college. Conduct a simple self-evaluation of your social preferences to guide your search for new friends and community in college.