Living in Brantford, the whole idea of interacting with strangers may not necessarily be something everyone is open too. Although it was in Brantford that I learned how much I enjoyed interacting with them and the true importance behind it all.

Living slightly away from campus and not having access to a car has led me to take cabs several times in a week. Although it is money consuming it is truly such a great experience. I meet so many different kinds of people on a daily basis and sometimes similar faces as well. It has come to the extent that when I get into the vehicle sometimes, I don’t even have to mention an address; they just know where to take me. In the midst of a few minutes from destination A to B, it’s amazing how much gets unraveled. I’ve had conversations about life experiences to detailed recipes that they’ve wanted to share with me. Though whenever I mention to someone that I’m going to be taking a cab they’re instant reaction is, “Oh my god they’re so creepy! Why do you?” This type of attitude as a student is very typical.

You wouldn’t want to miss out on opportunities to socialize as a student. Even if you are an introvert, there are other introverts that would enjoy socializing with you. Talking to strangers can end up being quite a fulfilling experience. There are traditional ways of making friends, but you can make a friend doing anything.

Take advantage of your time as a student, and try speaking to someone new every once in a while. Whether it is in a classroom, event or some type of social setting. Speaking to strangers is something that extroverts normally do, but it is something anyone can do. However, the first step is to dismiss the negative stereotypes of speaking to strangers that you may have. You will be surprised at the responses that people give you if you try it once in a while.