As a new transfer student, it is important to make friends on campus and maintain those relationships. On day three of our four-day orientation program, my group had some time away from the planned schedule when Chey, our peer mentor, tested positive for Covid.
After everyone got tested for Covid, I decided to invite the whole group over to play games at my apartment on campus. 
Now that I look back and think about that, I probably should have waited for the tests to come back but alas, they were negative. I invited quite a bit of people over and the ones who came were Andie, Bre, Drew, Caroline, Erin, and McHale (the real ones).
Read “University of Tulsa: Best Transfer Experience of My Life” to see where these friendships first developed. I would have had more people over to my apartment but the decision was very last minute, a spur of the moment. The seven of us played some games, laughed, listened to music, and just got to know each other on a deeper level than the larger group meetings offered.
Presently, we have plans for another game night sometime this week. It can be difficult to maintain new friendships, old friendships, romantic relationships, schoolwork, employment, cleaning, cooking, and really anything else you can think of but it’s important. Having a good community of friends around you affects your mental health and happiness and I’m all for a joyful life rich in laughter, love, and friends.