I’m a huge fan of talking while doing. It takes all the pressure off the conversation when it’s secondary to an activity you enjoy. So what do you enjoy? If you like running, join your school’s club running team. If you enjoy writing, connect with the school paper, literary magazine, or academic journal in your interest and get involved. While writing seems like an individual pursuit, you’ll have story meetings, editorial meetings, etc. Like outdoor adventure? Get thee to the student rec center or outdoors club and signing up for kayaking, rafting, etc. Not sure what you want to do? Grab your favorite drink and start reading your school’s list of club’s and activities. You can even go to a particular club’s web page to check out the vibe. Even volunteering can be fun if it jibes with your interests —my sons joined club swim and they then joined a subset of those kids in coaching a local kids’ swim team.
And, yes, you can invite the guy to grab a coffee or a smoothie without creating an immediate romantic vibe. You even have the perfect conversation starter — I transferred here X months ago and I’m looking to get involved in campus life. Based on your and your friends’ experiences, any activities you’d particularly recommend?