DISCLAIMER: Before you dig into all the truly wonderful, sage and [insert other positive adjectives here] advice, I would like to emphasize that I am not a professional — I’m just a girl! A girl with a decent amount of life experience in the college ecosystem, but a girl nonetheless! Do keep this in mind, and read at your own risk (just kidding … kind of).
Everyone says to join clubs here because that’s the best way to make friends, but I feel like everyone I see there is just an acquaintance. Even if we’re having a good time at each club meeting, I have a strong feeling our relationship only exists within our weekly scheduled hour. I just can’t seem to find my people, even after four years at Northeastern. Any advice on turning acquaintances into friends or finding better acquaintances?
Sincerely,
Trying to Break Out of the “Acquaintance Zone”
I think this is one of the most persistent frustrations of the college experience, especially at a fast-paced university like Northeastern, where everything seems to be constantly moving 100 miles an hour. You may join clubs, show up to the meetings and genuinely enjoy your time there, but when you are removed from that activity, those connections seem to go out the window. Then, you are seemingly left with a lot of peripheral acquaintances that only exist in that time and place.
After four years, I understand that the frustration can be even more intensified — but the annoying truth is, the gap between an acquaintance and a friend doesn’t always just bridge itself.
The first step to convert an acquaintance into a friend is the hardest but most crucial: You cannot be afraid to go first. Sometimes, we spend our time waiting for some type of “green light” from someone else, a sign that they want to get to know us better or spend more time together. But if you are finding that the signal rarely comes unprompted, you should try to be the initiator.
Take that leap of faith and realize that most people can be just as hesitant as you are and might just be waiting for your lead. I know it feels totally vulnerable at the moment, but when you have made a friend out of it, you’ll forget the discomfort altogether!
We also, unfortunately, have to contend with the reality of 2026, yet another year where it grows easier to stare at your phone than to strike up a conversation. Between co-ops, classes and the constant pull of being chronically online, people are increasingly secluded. So if you want to hang out with someone more consistently, you may have to pull them out of their shell.
If the idea of straight-up asking someone to hangout with you feels too daunting, I think the best strategy is to frame the invitation around your own existing plans. Tell them that you were already heading to see a specific movie, or that you were planning a run through a part of the city you haven’t explored yet, and simply ask if they’d like to join you. It is significantly less intimidating to invite someone to a plan that is already in motion than it is to just say something super vague like, “Want to hang out this weekend?”
A concrete plan makes it easier for the person to just say yes, or if they say no, insulate you from the rejection since you were already going to do the activity.
I’m a computer science major, and it’s my first cycle applying for co-ops. I am paranoid that I will not get one, especially since I’ve heard that co-op prospects are getting worse at Northeastern and especially within my field. I’ve done everything right in terms of resume, good GPA, etc., but the (pretty valid) fear of not getting a co-op is keeping me up at night. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Five Daily Hours of LinkedIn Screentime
I remember my first co-op application cycle like it was yesterday — and no, not in a good way. It was a grueling four months of scrolling through NUWorks like it was my full-time job and spam applying (not endorsed by me) to anything and everything I could possibly fake that I was qualified for. About 100 some applications later, I finally accepted a role, a glorious light at the end of the tunnel. And it is not lost on me that every year, the application cycles get harder and harder, so I hear you and your valid fears about finding a co-op.
The first thing I will say is this: It is not the end of the world to not get a co-op during your first cycle applying. There are plenty of Northeastern students who benefited from waiting an additional semester, and it allowed them to take more challenging and competitive coursework to put on their resumes. Now, a lot of students only do one co-op, so it gives you way more time to apply and strategically position it within your time at Northeastern.
With that sentiment out of the way, it’s time for some actual advice on the application process itself. Joining professional clubs and expanding your network can really help you get ahead. Northeastern has extensive pre-professional activity offerings, so chances are, there will be some type of career-oriented organization with like-minded students that you can be a part of.
These groups often post job openings and connect students with industry experts. It might even be just finding people via LinkedIn who are currently in or have done the co-op roles that you want to be in and asking to coffee chat with them.
Also, you should start early! If you see that a job posting has been up for 30 days or more, don’t waste your time applying to that role; apply to the new ones you see pop up first. Now, this doesn’t always have to be true, but generally,applying to the new postings will increase your chances of your resume being seen by an actual person. You can also oftentimes check online — either through LinkedIn or directly on NUWorks — to see if the role has already been filled.
But through all this, try not to get caught up in what other students are doing. This was probably the thing I struggled with most during my first time applying for co-op, even more than the actual interviews. Co-op applications are extremely stressful, and while these opportunities are mostly merit-based, there is usually a timing and a luck factor involved. It’s important to keep the focus away from others, and use your energy to power through your own applications.
Good luck!
Honor Seares is a fifth-year history and economics major. She can be reached at [email protected].
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