How do I mingle with college kids that I dont know?

M

Mark

New member
I am having such a hard time making friends in general. I dont have alot of friends and all my friends are too busy, live out of state, and my work schedule sucks, I dont drive or have the time to meet people but I figured if I was in the area alot and I see the same people around everyday, I would think I could mingle with them. So for the past few days, I been trying to socialize with college students on the bus because I ride the public bus every day and I see the same students getting on and off the bus and hanging with their own little crowd so I thought I would be friendly and I said: "Hey how are you guys doing? I am so and so...do you go to school around here?" and they will be very snobby and especially one of the girl's will say: "WHY ARE YOU EVEN TALKING TO ME?! I DONT EVEN KNOW YOU!" And I said: "Because I am just being friendly. I like meeting people and making friends." and I smiled and she was so stuck up and said: "ARN'T YOU IN COLLEGE?!" And I told her: "Nope, I dont go to school around here. I work full-time." and she just got all freaked out and said: "WOW!!! YOU'RE A CREEP!" And after she said that, I started crying in tears because that really hurt my feelings!

Now that's why I cant meet people because I am not in college and I dont know anybody. So my question is, why can't I meet decent friends when I am not in college? Even if I dont go to college but want to hang around college students to fit in because I want to socialize and get involved, how can I do that? Its hard for me to make friends and I feel so depressed over it and lonely!!! I dont deserve this kind of treatment! All I get is ignored and no one talks to me or wants me to get involved in their group! Why can I just meet people and make friends in public for God Sakes?! Why can't people talk to me on the bus when I am riding it everyday?! It's not like I am a complete stranger, I am part of the community and want to meet people and have people like me or want to socialize with me like a normal human being! IT'S LIKE EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER ALREADY LIKE: "HI!! OH MY GOOD TO SEE YOU! HOW'S YOUR CLASS?!" And they don't like meeting new people and it makes me very jealous and lonely feeling left out! What should I do?
 
I am a respectable middle-aged HR executive and I find your approach creepy. If you were the father of one of these college kids, would you really be happy to hear about some random male approaching him/her on the bus
 
As a college student, I get where the girl was coming from.
I do not meet people on the bus, I barely do small talk.

However, I am not one to talk about completely avoiding strangers. Like one time my friends and I were riding a bus and we met a complete stranger and ended up staying at her family's house for a few days. We were fine, but it could of ended up with us being filed as missing person's by Interpol. That would of totally ruined my spring break.

However, I would not be completely be rude, but I would just be polite. I do not make friends with just anyone. But I welcome conversations.

However.. How old are you?
If you are college age [but not in college] I would talk to you.
If you are much much older, then I would pretend to not be able to speak English.
 
they aren't worth it, bro.. you don't understand how much of an animal those college students can be.. they party and do crazy things. the sad part is, they think they are much better than you because they are going to become "successful"

go join some kind of club, or something.
 
Your community must have some kind of social club for something you like-- think a basketball league at the Y, a community service org, etc. People are less likely to be weirded out because you're already shoved in the same room for a purpose (football, chess, computer programming, etc.) And you already know they like at least 1 thing you like. Why not take a class or two at the college? Then, you can recognize people from class too.

That girl you meet was a jerk; you don't want to associate with her anyway. I'm sure you would rather a friendly person.

Meeting strangers requires a certain tact: I think on top of you just having a bad pick of person to talk to in the above story, you also scared her with your formality. Why not just start off with, "What book are you reading?" and spark up and conversation about that, or "that's a really cool drawing, is pencil your normal medium?" Or any other conversation she looks like she would be interested in. Another good one is if you see the person wearing a college teeshirt, "Oh, you go to that college? What's your major?" People LOVE talking about their major (even if it's about how much it sucks.)

Avoid complementing a girl's hair, eyes, body, legs...anything she can't change...it'll sound like you're hitting on her. (Although if her hair is dyed a funky color, that's cool to talk about because it's part of her personal style.)
 
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