by Jamie Elizabeth

Created on: August 27, 2010   Last Updated: November 26, 2010

The social life that you have in college is just as important as the classes you take. Your social life can help you realize who you are and what you want from life. It can help you become more confident and to learn the people skills that are necessary for success in nearly all career paths. However, being social doesn't have to mean partying all the time. In college, being social can largely consist of just hanging out with friends. A dorm room, especially for underclassmen, is often the center of a college student's social life. Here are some tips on how to make your dorm room a popular hangout spot:

Open The Door

It's true, this is the best way to make friends in college. During the first few weeks people are not going to randomly knock on closed doors to see what's going on. If your door is open and people can smile and wave, see that you are a normal human being who looks like they might be fun to hang out with, then they will stop in and have a conversation. Pretty soon, this will become a regular thing. As more people start to join in, more people walking by will notice and they too will stop by to hang out.

Play Music or Movies

If you are going to listen to music or watch a movie, don't do it by yourself at your computer with your headphones in. Instead, with your door open, turn it on for all to hear. Just make sure it's not disturbing anyone. If someone who is walking down the hall likes the same kind of music you do, or even if they don't, this is a great way to start a conversation and to get to know people. If you have music playing or a movie on your TV, people will be more likely to stop in than if you are just sullenly sitting at your laptop with your headphones on.

Have Plenty of Seating

Bring a couple bean bags or a small couch with you to college. It's always awkward to try to figure out seating space if there are more than three or so people crammed in a tiny dorm room. But if you have ample seating, it's likely that people will say "Hey, let's go to so-and-so's room, they have plenty of space for us," and it also gives you a good reason to offer up your room as the hangout spot.

If you are a naturally social person who loves having people around, then these tips will help you to reach your full potential as a social butterfly in college. Having your dorm room as the popular hangout spot can make your college years much more fun.

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