Making friends at Northeastern as a graduate student

Graduate school at Northeastern is different from undergraduate life. Students are older, many are working, and everyone is focused on career goals. The social life is less about dorm events and more about cohorts, labs, professional networks, and the city itself. The key is to find the people who are in the same stage of life and build around shared time.

Your cohort is the most important social group in graduate school. These are the people who start the same semester, take the same classes, and face the same deadlines. Go to the orientation events, form study groups, and exchange contact info early. Cohort friendships often last the entire program.

If you are in a research-based program, your lab or research group is your daily community. Lab meetings, journal clubs, and research events are the natural places to build relationships. The people who are happy in grad school usually have at least one strong lab or research group connection.

Graduate students often connect through professional organizations. Attending conferences, networking events, and industry meetups can lead to friendships as well as career opportunities. These are especially important for students in business, engineering, computer science, and health sciences.

The Graduate Student Government and graduate student organizations host events, socials, and support groups. These are designed for students who do not have the same undergraduate social infrastructure. They are worth exploring, even if you think you are too busy.

• Week 1: Meet your cohort and exchange contact info with everyone in your orientation group.
• Week 2: Join one lab group, research team, or study group depending on your program.
• Week 3: Attend one professional or graduate student organization event.
• Week 4: Plan a low-stakes social event with a few people from your cohort or lab.

• Is graduate school lonely? It can be, especially if you are new to Boston. The fix is to build cohort and lab connections early.
• What if I am working full-time while studying? Many grad students are. Look for evening and weekend events, and prioritize one or two connections.
• How do I meet people outside my program? Graduate student government events, professional organizations, and Boston meetups are good options.
• What about international graduate students? Northeastern has a large international population. The Office of Global Services and international student groups are great starting points.
• Should I live on campus? Many grad students live off campus in Fenway, Mission Hill, or Somerville. Living with roommates or in a building with other students can help.