Committed class Instagram Pages, random roommates and orientations. Committed seniors weigh their personal experiences and discuss the best ways to connect with their future classmates.
Mattea J. ‘25 recently committed to Columbia University, where she plans to study English, art history and creative writing. Already knowing close friends who are going, Mattea doesn’t feel in a rush to meet other potential friends. She follows Columbia’s class of 2029 Instagram account, where committed students have the ability to introduce themselves and connect with one another, but hasn’t reached out to many people yet. Mattea believes that the accounts could be beneficial in finding a roommate, but doesn’t feel pressure to settle on anything yet.
“I don’t want a random roommate,” Mattea said. “So besides that, I feel like trying to make friends right now over social media is kind of pointless, because I want to make friends and connect with people once I actually get [there].”
Tyler P. ‘25 is in a different social situation than Johnston, being committed to Santa Clara University (SCU) for beach volleyball. During Tyler’s recruitment process she was able to get to know other girls on the team, who she will be spending extended amounts of time with on and off the court. Similar to Mattes, Tyler doesn’t feel the need to post or introduce herself on SCU’s 2029 Instagram account. Already knowing her teammates, and having spent time with them at orientations, Tyler doesn’t feel as much pressure to make other friends outside the team yet. Team bonding activities, social events and athlete parties will bring the girls closer throughout their years, and Tyler is looking forward to having a tight-knit group of friends. She still hopes to meet other people once she’s on campus but is hoping to build those friendships once she gets there.
“I’m going to be with the [volleyball] girls 24/7, and I’ll be close with them,” Tyler said. “During the first few weeks of classes everyone is in the same position and looking for friends, so any chance I get I’m going to meet people in my classes, or my dorm or at sports games.”
According to a 2024 Columbia Spectator article, the process of meeting people once committed to college can be even more daunting than the process itself. Like Tyler, Mattea believes that it’s difficult to authentically get to know someone over social media, and hopes to find her college friends naturally and in person. Many schools, including Columbia, host orientations and new-student events, where Johnston hopes to form new connections.
“I feel like the easiest and most natural way to meet people is through all of the orientation stuff, like being in the dorms and on campus,” Mattea said. “I’m hoping to get there and once I already have my roommate, just letting [new friendships] happen [naturally].”
Olivia D. ‘25 committed to Wake Forest University in November and believes that social media is one of the most natural ways to meet people in today’s world. Wake Forest will pair her with a random roommate, but Olivia has still been reaching out to other committed students on Instagram, making small talk and asking them about their majors. She’s already become friends with a girl from New York, realizing that they have a lot in common by reaching out over Instagram and Snapchat.
“We just started talking and realized that we had everything in common,” Olivia said. “Now we text basically every day, and I’m hoping to visit her in New York before the school year starts. It’s really easy to make friends in a natural way, just to be yourself and not pretend to be anyone else. You’re starting a whole new chapter in your life, so just go into it being your most authentic self.”
