Making new friends

Making new friends is one of the most important parts of any college experience. But coming to a new place can be a little intimidating, especially for students who find themselves in a new town, and leaving behind the familiar environment of home.

That’s why RIT Croatia makes it easy for students to get social, whether it’s through clubs, Student Government events, parties, peer mentors, or just good luck hitting it off with new people in a relaxed environment.

Often, friendships seem to happen naturally. Nikolina Jerkić and Nikolina Herceg, juniors in the Hospitality and Tourism Management program, remember meeting as freshmen when they were assigned to the same team for a presentation in the public speaking course taught by instructor Kevin Walker. After getting over some initial shyness, they just clicked.

Other times, students need a little encouragement when it comes to meeting new people. That’s where Peer Mentors come in. Each incoming freshman student is assigned a Peer Mentor, an experienced older student who offers tips and advice for student life, academics, getting adjusted and finding fun in a new town.

“As a peer mentor, I always encourage freshmen to approach new people, and be themselves,” said Zagreb campus peer mentor Stanko Sarić. “There is a “group” for everyone, you just have to go out of your comfort zone a little.”

“Also, I am proud to say that I helped some foreign students to feel more welcome when they arrived in Croatia, by showing them some of the beauty of Zagreb and teaching them a few words of our language. That is the beauty of RIT, the fact that you get such a huge networking base, and you get to meet so many different cultures, values, and people.”

When it comes to socializing, Stanko says, balance is the key. “Yes, you should work hard, and strive for good grades, and solid GPA, but RIT offers so much more. So do not spend your time only studying and sitting at home looking at your books, but also spend time meeting new people. Join some of the clubs, participate in some of the events.

Freshman Anja Savinović came to RIT Croatia’s Dubrovnik campus from Serbia. Although she was not sure how the transition would be, by the end of the first semester, she already felt at home.  “The decision to come to the university happened very quickly, so at first, I didn’t think about the fact that I would be surrounded by new and unknown people.  As the days of my arrival approached, I worried more and more about how I would leave my group of friends and meet a new one.  I thought that I would be alone and unaccepted because I come from Serbia, but the moment I stepped through the doors, I saw many welcoming smiles.  I decided that I would be open and ready to communicate with everyone. I used every opportunity to talk and meet people as much as possible, so I decided to make the best possible move at that moment and that is to join the Student Government.  In a smaller environment, I felt even more open and quickly got close to people who helped me in every aspect of student life.  After just a few months, I can freely say that I have met lifelong friends here.”