Indonesian readings / Intermediate 1 / Relationships & Society

Making Friends at University: Small Steps that Matter

Berteman di Universitas Langkah Kecil yang Bermakna

Hari pertama di universitas membuat saya gugup, tetapi juga bersemangat. Saya berjalan melewati gerbang, melihat gedung tinggi, dan mendengar suara ramai di lapangan. Di dalam aula orientasi, saya duduk sendirian sambil memegang buku catatan. Saya ingin punya teman baru, namun saya takut memulai percakapan. Dosen pembimbing memberi sambutan dan menyarankan kami saling mengenal. Saya menarik napas, lalu memutuskan untuk mencoba. Seusai acara, saya menoleh ke mahasiswa di sebelah saya dan berkata, Halo, saya Rina, jurusan psikologi, kamu dari mana? Ia tersenyum, memperkenalkan diri sebagai Dani dari jurusan teknik. Kami membicarakan kelas pilihan, organisasi kampus, dan tempat makan murah di sekitar. Saya mendengarkan dengan saksama, mengangguk, dan menanyakan hal sederhana agar percakapan mengalir. Ternyata, kami sama sama suka bermain bulu tangkis. Kami bertukar nomor dan janji bertemu akhir pekan. Malam itu, di asrama, saya menulis daftar kegiatan yang bisa membantu saya bertemu lebih banyak orang. Saya berencana ikut klub fotografi karena saya suka merekam momen. Saya juga ingin menjadi relawan di perpustakaan untuk belajar melayani pengunjung. Keesokan harinya, saya menghadiri pertemuan klub dan menyapa beberapa orang lebih dulu. Sapaan sederhana seperti apa kabar dan sudah makan belum membuat suasana hangat. Perlahan, saya merasa lebih percaya diri. Tentu tidak semua percobaan berhasil. Ada kalanya orang sibuk, atau tidak tertarik berbicara. Ketika itu terjadi, saya tidak berkecil hati. Saya mengingat tujuan saya, yaitu belajar, berbagi, dan tumbuh bersama. Dengan sikap ramah dan konsisten, saya menemukan teman yang mendukung. Sekarang, saat saya berjalan melewati kampus, saya sering melambai, berhenti sebentar, dan tertawa bersama. Saya belajar bahwa persahabatan di universitas tumbuh dari keberanian kecil yang diulang setiap hari. Di akhir bulan pertama, saya menyadari bahwa membuat teman adalah proses, bukan perlombaan. Saya belajar menyeimbangkan waktu antara tugas, istirahat, dan kegiatan sosial. Saya juga berusaha mengingat nama orang, mengirim pesan singkat sesudah bertemu, dan mengucapkan terima kasih. Hal hal kecil itu membantu hubungan tumbuh kuat dan membuat hari kuliah terasa lebih ringan.

English Translation

The first day at university made me nervous, but also excited. I walked through the gate, saw tall buildings, and heard lively voices in the yard. In the orientation hall, I sat alone while holding a notebook. I wanted new friends, but I was afraid to start a conversation. The advisor lecturer gave a welcome and suggested we get to know each other. I took a breath, then decided to try. After the event, I turned to the student next to me and said, Hello, I am Rina, psychology major, where are you from? He smiled, introduced himself as Dani from engineering. We discussed elective classes, campus organizations, and cheap places to eat nearby. I listened carefully, nodded, and asked simple things so the conversation would flow. It turned out we both like playing badminton. We exchanged numbers and promised to meet on the weekend. That night, in the dorm, I wrote a list of activities that could help me meet more people. I planned to join the photography club because I like to record moments. I also wanted to volunteer at the library to learn to serve visitors. The next day, I attended a club meeting and greeted several people first. Simple greetings like how are you and have you eaten made the atmosphere warm. Slowly, I felt more confident. Of course, not every attempt worked. Sometimes people are busy or not interested in talking. When that happened, I was not downhearted. I remembered my goals, which were to learn, share, and grow together. With a friendly and consistent attitude, I found supportive friends. Now, when I walk across campus, I often wave, stop for a moment, and laugh together. I learned that friendships at university grow from small acts of courage repeated every day. At the end of the first month, I realized that making friends is a process, not a race. I learned to balance time between assignments, rest, and social activities. I also tried to remember people’s names, send a short message after meeting, and say thank you. Those small things help relationships grow strong and make class days feel lighter.