We all remember what is was like to be a freshman with a million questions. The Reveille is kicking off its freshmen advice column series as the fall 2022 semester ramps up. You ask, and we’ll answer. All you have to do is fill out this form here. 
This week’s question comes from incoming sociology freshman Justin Lewis:
How do people make friends? How would you transition from out-of-state at LSU knowing no one?
I’m an out-of-state student from Connecticut, so I wondered the same thing coming into LSU.
It may surprise you, but I think being an out-of-state student and knowing no one actually helped me make friends more quickly at LSU.
When you know no one, there’s no safety net. You can’t hang around the same people you did in high school and be timid about talking to new people. It leaves you with no choice but to put yourself out there. 
And ultimately, that’s the most important thing to do when trying to make friends as a freshman. It may be scary to talk to the person sitting next to you in lecture hall, or to ask your hallmates if they want to go the 459 with you or to instigate a study group in your class, but it’s worth it.
It’s uncomfortable to talk to try to form connections with strangers, but it’s OK to be uncomfortable. College is all about getting out of your comfort zone.
It’s also helpful to put yourself in places that are designed to build connections with other students. Even if you don’t feel like it, you should go to the orientation activities LSU holds for freshmen. Go to the activities thrown by your residential hall. Go to club meetings and introduce yourself to people. 
You have to remember that when you’re a freshmen, whether in state or out of state, everyone is pretty much in the same boat. Everyone is at least a little anxious, and almost everyone is trying to make new friends. That means people are open to connections, and it also means that they’re probably just as worried about messing it up.
You don’t have to change yourself to make friends in college, you just have to learn how to strike up conversations with people in different scenarios. 
Being from out-of-state also means that you can share your life experiences with people. In my experience, it’s always fun to talk about the differences I’ve seen in my home state and Louisiana: the different words people use, the customs, the food. You can also try to ask people different things about Louisiana and strike up a conversation that way.
Almost everyone comes into college worried about making friends. It’s natural. But if you take small steps to put yourself out there, you’ll find that people are just as excited and anxious.