How to Make Friends as an Online College Student

Great Careers Start Here
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Millions of people shifted to online learning during the pandemic and a whole lot of them decided the format was the perfect fit for them. But if you’re worried that attending college as an online student will leave you disconnected from your peers, you should know there are ways to get to know your teachers and classmates and make some friends. Be active on discussion forums, collaborate with course mates on group assignments, and coordinate meetups with peers outside of your regular class hours. Find out how to make real friends even when you’re a virtual student.

Attend Your Online Classes

Don’t skip class! Your grades will suffer, knowledge will lapse, and your investment will be wasted. And you won’t get to interact with the classmates who could become your friends. When you miss your online classes, you also miss out on opportunities to work with your classmates and be taken seriously as a student in pursuit of a career. If your course mates think you don’t care, they may exclude you from class discussions, projects, activities, and after-class gatherings.

Engage on Discussion Boards with Online Students

Online courses give you the opportunity to engage with others when you answer discussion board questions and engage in conversations. Be thorough with your answers and give your fellow students a chance to get to know you. Respond to other students’ posts, discuss topics and challenges from the course, and begin relationship building as you do classwork.

Join a Virtual Study Group with Online Students

Your studies are common ground you have with the rest of your classmates, so a study group is a great way to get to know who they are, how they think, and what they care about. Join—or create—a study group to build a solid support system as you all go through your courses. When you’re in an online learning environment and you want to connect with your peers, it’s important to have time scheduled outside of your normal hours to meet and discuss your studies.

Consider In-Person Meeting Times with Online Classmates

Do you live near your classmates? There’s no reason you can’t schedule some off-the-class-clock time with them. Meet for coffee, a walk, a run, or some other common interest you’ve discovered. Your friendship may begin online but that doesn’t mean it has to end there.

Are you Ready to be an Online Learner?

Charter College offers online programs in Business, Health Care, Information Technology, and Applied Technology. We also have blended learning programs that allow you to learn hands-on skills on campus and lecture materials online. Start your better future with an online education. Call Charter College at 1-888-200-9942 or fill out the form to get started today.