Your friends can influence your experiences, decisions, and growth as a student. While you do not need to be friends with everyone, building relationships with people who bring different values into your life can make your campus experience more meaningful.
Here are five types of friends worth having on campus.
1. The Student Leaders
These are students who hold leadership positions in their departments, faculties, or student associations.
They often have access to important information about academic activities, opportunities, events, and other things happening around campus.
Having them as friends can help you stay informed, connect with the right people, and learn how to navigate certain aspects of campus life.
2. The Wealthy Students
Let’s be honest: having financially comfortable friends can sometimes expose you to opportunities, experiences, and connections you might not have encountered otherwise.
However, friendship should not be about what someone can give you financially. Build genuine relationships, and never feel pressured to spend beyond your means just to fit into their circle.
3. The Morally Upright Ones
These are friends who understand their values and are not easily pressured into doing things they know are wrong.
Having such people around you can help you stay grounded, make better decisions, and resist negative influences.
Sometimes, the right friend is the person who tells you the truth, even when it is not what you want to hear.
4. The Brilliant Ones
You need friends who are academically sound and willing to share their knowledge.
When you encounter a difficult topic or struggle to understand a particular course, these friends can explain it in ways that make learning easier.
Beyond academics, you can also learn from their study habits, discipline, and approach to solving problems.
5. The Well-Connected Ones
These are students who know people across different departments, faculties, organisations, and social circles.
They can introduce you to new people, help you discover opportunities, and expand your network beyond your immediate circle.
Sometimes, an opportunity comes through someone you know or someone your friend introduces you to. Building genuine relationships can open doors you might not have found on your own.
See, you do not necessarily need all five types of people as your friends. The kind of friends you make often depends on your personality, values, interests, and the kind of life you want to build.
The important thing is to surround yourself with people who contribute positively to your growth, while ensuring that you also bring something valuable into their lives.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.