5 Great Apps to Jumpstart Your Social Life in College

College is primarily for educating yourself, but you can bet your life you’ll be miserable if you don’t also have a social life. That said, not everyone is great at meeting new people, and it can be intimidating to try and make new friends when the only common ground you have is that you attend the same school. Here are five fun social apps for you to try out that will help get out there in the best way.

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1. Bumble BFF

Bumble! It’s not just for dating anymore! The BFF setting on Bumble will connect you with people just looking for new friends to hang out with. It works just like Bumble/Tinder. Swipe one way for those you like and another for those who look like un-fun wet blankets. If you’re having a hard time meeting people on campus or you’re a commuter student, this can be a great way to connect with some new folks who might be going through the same thing.

2. LivingSocial

LivingSocial is a little like Groupon, but less for products and more for local events and dining. They provide discounts and information regarding your local scene that’ll have you leading your new crew to all the cool hotspots for cheap. There is also a products arm, so you can score discounts on stuff, too!

3. Your University’s App

Whether you’re attending Maryville University or Claremont Graduate University, your school probably has its own app. It will most likely give you lots of information about student events, gatherings and local surrounding deals and cool spots. It may seem kind of square to use, but if you’re a freshman, everyone already thinks you’re a square. You might as well be the square with all of the information.

4. MeetUp

If you are having a hard time meeting people who share your interests, MeetUp is the app for you! It allows you to search for or put together events that will attract like-minded people. If you really, really like playing Magic: The Gathering at midnight on Tuesdays in MacDonald’s, you can create an event and find your kind using this app. It’s a less pressurized way of meeting people that allow you to start on common ground beyond the fact that you go to the same school.

5. Swarm

Swarm is the old Foursquare, the Yelp competitor. It allows you to see who’s going to what in your area. It’s not necessarily a social app for college because everyone uses it. That said, if you’re looking for someone to get a burger with last minute instead of going to the library, it is totally the app to use. Last minute plans are all over college campuses, and Swarm lets you be the king or queen of them. If you feel like a stalker, don’t worry, everyone on Swarm wants to be there. Of all the social apps for college on this list, Swarm is the tastiest.