"Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there right from the start! It is completely normal to feel nervous, but remember that almost everyone else is in the exact same position as you and looking to make friends. Stepping out of your comfort zone early on can lead to some of your favorite college memories. Trust the process and give yourself permission to try new things."

— Maddie McLaughlin ’28, MA ‘29

"Get involved. Join clubs, attend events and try new activities, even if they’re outside your comfort zone. Getting involved is one of the best ways to make friends, build connections and make the most of your college experience." 

— Emma Samperi ‘26

"Explore something new to you — a course, a club or an extracurricular."

— Holly Raider, dean of the School of Business

"Say yes to everything. Quinnipiac has so much to offer students with countless different opportunities available. Even if you are unsure or hesitate about joining something, you should still try it out at least once."

— Kaitlyn McVeigh ‘26

"Get involved early. College is the time to learn about yourself and your interests. Join a club you never thought you would — the first-year advisory board is a great way to connect with other students. College is going to fly by, but I encourage you to suck the marrow out of every moment."

— Eve Behrens ’27, DPT ‘30

"Don’t stop meeting new people after first semester. You can never have too many friends."

— Maggie Misbach ’28, MOT ‘30

"While it is important to be connected with the organizations for your school/major, it is just as important to participate in events that are based on your other interests. The Quinnipiac community has so much to offer outside of the classroom. Take the time to do some exploration!

— Kiku Jones, interim associate dean of faculty affairs

"Always be yourself! College is a great way to start over and expand upon the person you are or strive to become the person you want to be. The way that you are going to find your people in college is being authentically you. Otherwise, you will create a circle of people that only like the inauthentic version of you, and I can promise you that finding the friends you are meant to be with is so much better."

— Giana DiLemme ’25, MS ‘26

"Don’t be afraid to try something new and step out of your comfort zone when it comes to joining clubs and meeting new people. It’s a great idea to go to the engagement fair in the fall semester. I would also try and reach out to some incoming students on the instagram pages."

— Olivia Gruber ‘27

"Get to know your professors — meet them during office hours and develop a relationship with them that you can later use in support of graduate school applications and as references for jobs. Some of these relationships could last a lifetime."

— Adam Roth, MBA ‘24, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences

"Put yourself out there. Go to any and every event. If no one wants to go, go alone you will 100% meet great people through just going."

— Gabriella Murillo ’29, DPT ‘32

"Be brave and willing to communicate which different kinds of people. You don’t know what you will learn from each kind of individual."

— Zoe Xanthopoulos ’27, DPT ‘30

"Make the most out of every moment. There will be a lot of scary moments and firsts during college, but there are so many amazing things that come out of each of them, whether its friends, experiences, lessons or growth!"

— Brie Butkievich ’26, MS ‘27

"It’s ok to feel out of place. Everyone is finding their way and it’s a huge learning experience. Embrace it!"

— Alyssa Venus ‘26

"Go outside of your comfort zone. Coming to college is a big change, and it will require you to step outside your comfort zone. When you do so, that is when you will meet new people and maybe discover a part of you that you didn't know was in there." 

— Vin Coglianese ‘28

"Get involved and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there."

— Adhira Arun ‘28

Say yes more often than you say no. Introduce yourself to people you don't know, take risks and step outside your comfort zone — some of the most meaningful friendships, opportunities and memories begin with a simple hello. Try activities, clubs and experiences you might not think are your 'thing,' because college is one of the few times in life when you can discover new passions simply by giving something a chance.

— Jamie DeLoma ’06, MS ‘11, senior director of content strategy for live channels