Her campus life changed outside class
Andraya arrived at St. John’s knowing nobody and initially treated campus as a place to finish class before traffic worsened. Joining academic clubs introduced people with similar interests and made the institution feel less anonymous.
A friend's invitation to try a sorority surprised her. She later helped welcome new members and attended campus games, while academic projects, leadership and internships expanded the network further.
Give a solo event a clear job
A purpose makes the first ten minutes less ambiguous and gives you a fair point at which to reassess.
- Choose the subjectPick a club, cause, performance or sport you would still be curious about without a friend beside you.
- Find one personAsk a host what happens next, or speak with one attendee about the shared event rather than inventing a personal opener.
- Complete one segmentStay through the taster, talk, first half or activity you came to see before judging the entire experience.
- Keep the next doorwaySave the next meeting, a contact or the official group page only if you want another encounter.
Involvement should still fit the commute
Andraya describes long campus days, multiple bags and the need to balance classes, events and evening travel. Belonging grew when she stayed intentionally—not when she ignored the real cost of the route home.
An event is useful evidence even when you do not return. The point is to learn which rooms, people and schedules make staying on campus worth the extra time.