How to Make Friends in Online Classes

One of the most common misconceptions about online education is that classes are less social than they would be on campus. However, many online classes demand a great deal of interaction from students. After all, if you are already on Facebook or MySpace, or if you have a blog that a lot of people read, then you know that the online world can be just as social as the offline one.
In contrast, many on-campus university classes are large, anonymous lecture classes with three hundred students. It is about as interactive as watching TV.
Here are six tips for making sure that your online classes are as social as you want them to be.
1. Choose Wisely
If you are considering a class that requires participation as a major component of the course, you are in luck. Nothing helps you get to know your fellow students better than lively online dialogue via chat, forums, or group blogs. Try to select classes for their interactive potential, and you will have better luck getting to know your peers—and probably a more valuable educational experience as well, depending on the course.
2. Take the Lead
Your classmates might be shy so you should always initiate conversations. Ask questions, make jokes, and above all, share ideas. Start conversations. Be interested in your fellow students and in what they have to say. If you are the one to start the conversation, your classmates will look to you as a leader and want to get to know you better as well.
3. Pay Attention
Of course you will pay attention to the course material but pay attention to your peers as well. Remember what their interests are, remember what they have to say and repeat it back to them with additional commentary. They will feel valued because you remembered what they said.
4. Imagine
If your course is set up so that your classmates have avatars, it can be easier to remember who is who. If not, you will have to improvise. Make up a mental picture of your peers—it can be easier to relate to someone who has a face in your mind. Later, if you ever meet in real life, you can laugh about how off base you were.
5. Go the Extra Mile
Try your best to be helpful to your fellow students. Answer questions, post related links, or draw the professor’s attention to areas of confusion. Your classmates will thank you.
6. Look to the Future
Be a professional in all of your dealings with classmates; they are part of the network of your future career. It goes without saying, but at all times be courteous, no matter how much you may disagree with someone.
With any educational pursuit, you get out what you put in; the same can be said of the social aspect of online courses. With the right choices, your online class can be dynamic, challenging and socially interactive. It is up to you.