Trying to make friends post-college and not knowing how.
TRYING TO MAKE FRIENDS POST-COLLEGE AND NOT KNOWING HOW.
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We were told we’d change the world. We spent years honing our intellect, debating grand theories, and building networks within a vibrant, driven community. The campus was a bubble of ambition and camaraderie, where connections felt organic, almost inevitable. Then, the real world hit. The transition from campus to career is a weird one, and frankly, nobody really warned us about the quiet, insidious identity crisis that often comes with it.
Suddenly, that impressive school affiliation isn't your primary identity marker. You’re just… you. And finding your people? It’s not as easy as joining a club or living in a dorm. Gone are the days of bumping into future best friends in the dining hall or during a late-night study session. Now, everyone has established circles, demanding jobs, and less spontaneous free time. The art of making friends feels like a lost skill, a social muscle atrophied from years of focus on academic prowess.
We were taught to dissect complex problems, to lead, to innovate. But how do you approach a stranger at a coffee shop, or turn a work acquaintance into a genuine friend without feeling… desperate? It’s a vulnerable space, this reinvention of our social selves. It means embracing awkwardness, putting ourselves out there, and building connection from scratch. It’s a challenge we didn’t find in any syllabus, but perhaps the most human one yet.
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