So I'll be entering into first year social sciences this year (after doing two years of college) but because I'm poor I'll be living at home (Burlington) and taking the bus in every day. Does anyone have any good suggestions for making friends as a commuter?? My previous course was really small (20 people per class, same 20 in every class) and I've never taken any lecture-type courses where the student count is in the hundreds (or, as I've heard, potentially a couple thousand?) Because I'm commuting AND have a job at home, I won't be able to join too many extra-curriculars, which I know are one of the best ways. How do you make friends when the person you sit beside one day might be nowhere to be found the next?

(I didn't see any topics related to this during a quick cursory search, but if I'm an idiot and missed any, please link it to me!)

Facebook + talking to everyone + doing as much extra curricular stuff as you can afford.

It's sort of sad that Facebook plays such a role in social situations, but... oh well.

Just to clairfy, the biggest classroom on campus is MDCL 1305 (or so Ive been told) and that can't be more than 400- 500 people. So there's NO class in the thousands!

In terms of commuting, I think the easiest way to make friends is with people in class... I mean, with people in your class, at least you know you have something in common (same class, possibly the same faculty, possibly the same program). Also, if you can, join an extra curricular that isn't too demanding.. one where you'll meet people, but you don't have to go all the time/it's during the day and not late when you know you'll be going home.

Many of the upper years that frequent MacInsiders are involved in other things like the MSU, Residence Life (either CA/HPA/HCA or Reps), Faculty, or other services and you can talk to them about how to get involved.

Join some clubs, check out clubsfest on Sept (5th? someone correct me if I'm wrong) and you can meet Danielle (lorend) myself, Chad and some of our writing team. You can sign up for clubs and stuff. There are a ton of things to do with the MSU and they're a fun bunch of people to hang around with.

And yes, talk to people in your classes. Exchange notes, get coffee, talk about readings/assignments while waiting to go into class, etc.

club fest is sept 3rd from 9-3 in the student center and outside.

You can join SOCS(The Society of Off-Campus Students). They have events running all year. There's an e-mail newsletter you can sign up for that tells you about them. I don't think it would be too demanding, whenever you had time you could go out to an event and meet new people.

I am going into first year and will be commuting too, well not really, I live in Hamilton about a 20 min bus ride away. I'll be joining SOCS!

Originally Posted by deadpool

Facebook + talking to everyone + doing as much extra curricular stuff as you can afford.

It's sort of sad that Facebook plays such a role in social situations, but... oh well.

Bah facebook...it always finds ways of pulling me back in.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I didn't know SOCS geared towards commuters as well as off-campus Hamiltonians. Re-reading my post I sound pretty clueless, but during my college experience it so so so easy to make great friends due to the small classes and living in rez; looking at some of the classroom photos at Mac I was like, gah, there must be thousands, even MILLIONS of them in there! Seems like it'll just take me a little bit more work this time around.
(And thanks for the clarification on class sizes, I am too naive for my own good )

LOL no worries, I was quite naive coming in too. I definitely thought that JHE was like one mega classroom HAHA