Hi everyone! I hope you’re excited to start your journey at the University of Rochester. I remember feeling so excited to begin my college experience, meet new people, and ultimately find my hive—my community, my family. The key photo of this blog was taken during my freshman year, right before one of the first social events on campus. This is living proof that you will make it and be ok because this was the 2nd week of when the semester began and I still have a smile on my face.
So let’s talk about the social scene at the University of Rochester—and when (and how) you can start building your hive. As a current junior, I can confidently say this journey never really stops. You’ll continue making new connections throughout your entire time here. Even after graduation, your Yellowjacket roots will keep helping you build lifelong relationships, all tied to the place you’ll soon call home.
So where does it all begin? Here are six ways you can start building your hive at URochester.
1. WELCOME WEEK
(Pending for Fall 2026: Aug 24-Aug 29)
Welcome Week is the start of your URochester endeavors. It happens every year the week before classes start and a time where first year can arrive to campus before most of the upperclassmen. This is a perfect time to get familiar with the campus and meet people within your class year.
Welcome Week has many events to get adjusted to life at URochester. I remember during my Welcome Week that there was an app that you got to download on your phone that was a big welcome week itinerary. There were many different type of events like there was a speed friending event that was like speed dating but for making friends that I attended. They host a Candlelight Ceremony that is another way to make friends and connect with cool individuals.
I can even say that before you even attend events you typical have a residential hall meeting to discuss some residential life norms for floor and meet your residential advisors for the year and do a whole icebreaker with you floor. This is also one way I will say you will meet some friends because you typical go to your Convocation and Class Roll Signing with your floor. I can remember all the random side conversation that I had while waiting to attend this event with my floor and those are people I still wave to and chat with when I run into them on campus.
There are many traditions that happen every year during welcome week that are great opportunities to meet your people here at URochester. Start looking forward to your Welcome Week.
2. STUDENT ACTIVITY FAIR
At the start of each semester, the University of Rochester hosts a student activities fair featuring a wide range of undergraduate clubs and organizations. The event often includes live demonstrations and plenty of opportunities to get involved on campus. Fun fact: about 90% of students participate in at least one student organization!
This is the perfect place to step outside your comfort zone. You can discover a new hobby, join a club or sport, or even explore Greek life. Trying something new is a great way to meet people—whether they’re also beginners or experienced students who can help guide you as you learn.
And if you don’t find something that fits your interests, that’s okay too! If there’s something you’re passionate about that URochester doesn’t offer, you always have the option to start your own organization. This is a place that doesn’t limit your interest but rather helps you to pursue them and provide resources to continue your pursuit.
3. GET A JOB ON CAMPUS
If I’m being honest, one of the most unexpected ways I made friends at Rochester was through my jobs — both on campus and around the city. Working puts you in contact with people you might never cross paths with otherwise, and I’ve genuinely never had a job where I didn’t walk away with at least one new friend.
Talking with coworkers during shifts makes the time fly, and it turns work into something social instead of something you’re just waiting to finish. On-campus jobs especially make it easy to meet people because you’re surrounded by other students, and you’re also representing the school in a space where students naturally pass through.
When I worked in dining, I constantly ran into people I met during Welcome Week — it made campus feel smaller and more connected. Now that I work in Admissions, it’s the same thing. I’ll be giving a tour and suddenly hear someone calling my name or waving from across the quad. It’s a small thing, but it makes campus feel like home.
And it’s not just me. My friends who work in the Goergen Athletic Center, the IT Center, or as residential advisors (RAs) all say the same thing: their jobs helped them build friendships they wouldn’t have made otherwise.
5. CLASS
And of course, the most obvious one—make friends in the classes you attend each week at the University of Rochester. This is a great way to build connections within your career interests while also forming meaningful, long-lasting friendships. Thanks to URochester’s flexible curriculum, you’ll also have the chance to explore classes outside your main focus, giving you even more opportunities to meet people with different passions and perspectives.
The number of friends I’ve made through my classes honestly feels endless. I’ve found that smaller classes—like my American Sign Language courses, which usually have around 10–20 students—make it easier to connect with a wide range of people from all over the world. You really get to meet such unique individuals. Even if your major doesn’t always offer smaller class sizes, there are still so many ways to engage with your peers, whether it’s through labs, workshops, recitations, study groups, or group assignments.
At the end of the day, it never hurts to have a friend in your class—someone to share notes with, study alongside, or even just walk to class with.
6. LEAVE YOUR DORM
Lastly, I’ll say this: leave your dorm more. You never know
what’s happening outside your room—or who might run into and end up becoming a lifelong friend of yours. During my first semester, I was honestly nervous about going to events on my own. I felt like I always needed someone to go with me, and because of that, I skipped out on events I was actually interested in. That choice ended up making me feel pretty lonely during my freshman year.
But in the spring semester, I decided to push myself. I started exploring campus more and attending events—even if I had to go alone. Just by getting out of my dorm and showing up, I ended up making over 10 new friends that semester. That experience really changed things for me. I started to feel like I could truly navigate the University of Rochester—whether I was by myself or surrounded by friends.
The people I met that spring are still some of the same friends I talk to and spend time with now as I approach the end of my junior year. So take that chance—leave your dorm and go to the events you’re interested in, even if you don’t have someone to go with. You never know who you might meet. Oh and don’t be afraid to be yourself just let the world see who you are and the right people will swarm around you.
Bonus
If you want to make friends before Welcome Week even starts, URochester has you covered. The First-Year Orientation Outing Treks (FOOT) program lets new students come to campus early, head out on outdoor adventures, and bond with classmates while exploring the beautiful natural spots around Rochester.