Community college students are struggling to make connections, according to a research study by the Education Advisory Board, an educational consulting firm.
In a 2024 survey that EAB administered to 1,531 first-year community college students, 42% of respondents felt most disappointed with their social life, 40% with their friendships and 25% with the campus community, according to a recent article in Inside Higher Ed.
Kayla Anaya, the Student Life and Leadership Center supervisor, attributed such social dissatisfaction to the lack of on-campus housing.
“We’re a commuter campus, so people are just showing up and then going home,” Anaya said. “They’re not taking the time to really stay here before or after class.”
The popularity of asynchronous classes makes building connections even more difficult, said communication studies professor Georgine Hodgkinson.
“In order to develop friendship, you have to be able to really share who you are and talk more deeply. And that’s just less likely to happen in five minutes in a Zoom room, right?” Hodgkinson said. “If, however, you’re meeting after class and you’re studying for an exam together, and you’re really sharing an experience that’s extended, it’s just much easier to form those connections.”
Jemela Ayanna Manalo, a 20-year-old business administration major, transferred to Cosumnes River College from the College of San Mateo this semester. In order to make friends, Manalo joined the Clubs and Events Board as an at-large representative and founded the Delta Business Collective.
“Try to put yourself out there,” Manalo said. “I know it’s scary, but usually other people are scared, too, and they’re just waiting for someone to start the conversation.”
Hodgkinson said that the key to friendship is to be curious and vulnerable. She advised students to show interest, ask questions and extend invitations to meet off campus.
“We don’t get to choose our family, but we get to choose our friends, and we choose our friends because we don’t have to put up walls with them,” Hodgkinson said. “If you want to build relationships that have trust, and relationships where people are willing to invest time and emotional effort, then you really have to create this space where people get to feel free to be who they are.”
After moving to Sacramento, Manalo downloaded Bumble BFF, an app that allowed her to meet a variety of people locally.
“It’s a good app to be on if you really want to make friends,” Manalo said. “I’m still friends with some of the people I met in person.”
On campus, Anaya encouraged students to participate in events, clubs and identity-based support groups like the Black Empowerment Center and Pride Center. She said that events are posted on the school calendar and on Instagram @studentlifecrc.
“I’ve spent my life sort of studying human connection, the reasons why people are drawn to one another, and the things that make us feel close and connected,” Hodgkinson said. “And I think that’s really the thing that makes life feel satisfying — our relationships.”