70+ Conversation Starters For College Students

If you’ve just been admitted to college and want to start conversations with other students, it’s important to avoid asking sensitive or boring questions that might make the other person lose interest. To build relationships with your classmates or even make new friends, you should always start with great conversation starters.

If you’re feeling stuck or drawing a blank, don’t worry. In this blog post, we’re going to provide you with a list of over 60 conversation starters for college students. These will help you build connections and find new friends. We’ve also included some helpful tips.

Before we dive in, we highly recommend checking out our random topic generator tool. It’s a fantastic resource for students, especially if you’re looking for conversation starters or topics to discuss with someone. With just a few clicks, this tool will give you plenty of ideas for easy, engaging conversations.

Let’s get started!

Top Picks Of conversation starters for college students

Here are some great, useful, and engaging conversation starters for students who are looking to start new conversations with their peers.

If you could have any professor teach a class on something completely unrelated to their field, what would it be?
What’s the one college event you think everyone should experience at least once?
If you could instantly learn any new skill or hobby while at college, what would it be?
What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learned so far outside of class?
If you had to create a new campus club, what would it be about?
What’s the most interesting place you’ve visited on or around campus that most students don’t know about?
If you could trade lives with any character from a book or movie for a week, who would it be?
What’s your go-to study spot on campus, and what makes it special for you?
If you could redesign one part of the campus to make it better, what would you change?
What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself since starting college that surprised you?

1. Family and Relationships

Asking students about their family background and relationships is a great way to build deeper connections. These questions are personal, engaging, and will help keep the conversation interesting. Here are 12 conversation starters about family and relationships:

Where’s your hometown, and what do you love most about it?
Do you have any siblings? Are you close with them?
What’s the best family tradition you have?
Have you been to any family reunions? How was it?
What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened during a family gathering?
Who’s the most supportive person in your family?
Do you have any pets at home? Tell me about them!
What’s one thing you always do with your family during the holidays?
How does your family support your college journey?
Who in your family is the most like you, and why?
What’s the most memorable family trip you’ve ever taken?
How do you stay in touch with your family while you’re in college?

2. Education and Studies

College students are often very passionate about their studies, majors, and future career goals. You can ask right questions, which can help you connect on a deeper level Here are 12 conversation starters related to education and studies:

What’s your major, and what made you choose it?
Do you have any study hacks that help you get through exams?
What’s the most interesting class you’ve taken so far?
Have you done any group projects? How did they go?
What’s the hardest subject you’ve had to deal with in college?
Who’s your favorite professor, and what makes them so great?
Do you prefer studying alone or in groups? Why?
What was the hardest part of transitioning from high school to college?
How do you stay motivated to keep up with your coursework?
Have you ever participated in a study abroad program?
What’s your favorite thing about your campus?
Are there any classes you’re excited to take next semester?

3. Goals and Future Plans

College students often enjoy thinking about their future career goals and personal aspirations. You can use this as a great opportunity to start a meaningful conversation. Here are 12 conversation starters about goals and future plans:

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Do you have a dream job you’re aiming for after college?
Are you planning to pursue any internships during college?
What motivates you to keep working hard toward your goals?
How do you plan to balance your personal life and career after graduation?
Have you thought about where you want to live after college?
What’s one skill you’re working on improving during college?
Are you thinking about going to graduate school after graduation?
What’s your long-term career goal, and what steps are you taking to get there?
If you could change one thing about your future, what would it be?
Do you have any entrepreneurial plans after college?
Who do you look up to when it comes to career goals?

4. Relationships and Social Life

College is the perfect time to talk about relationships, friendships, and social interactions. Here are 12 conversation starters that focus on social life and relationships:

How do you like to spend your weekends?
What’s your favorite thing to do with friends around campus?
Do you have any close friends from high school here at college?
How do you usually meet new people in college?
What’s the most fun event you’ve attended on campus?
Are you involved in any clubs or student organizations?
What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had with your friends in college?
How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance while socializing?
What’s the best advice you’ve gotten about college relationships?
How do you handle disagreements with friends or roommates?
What’s your favorite memory from your college social life so far?
How do you make time for your friends while keeping up with academics?

5. Fun and Lighthearted Conversation Starters

Adding a bit of fun and humor can keep the conversation light and enjoyable. If you’re looking for something more playful, here are some fun conversation starters for college students that might catch your interest.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
What’s your go-to Karaoke song?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you in college so far?
Do you have any hidden talents no one knows about?
If you were to win the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d buy?
What’s your favorite meme or viral video right now?
What’s the best prank you’ve ever pulled or seen pulled on someone?
If you could meet any celebrity, who would it be and why?
What’s the weirdest food combination you actually enjoy?
Do you have a favorite video game or board game?
If you could live in any fictional world, which one would you choose?

Tips for Conversations with College Students

To ensure your conversations with college students are effective and enjoyable, here are a few tips:

Be Genuine: Ask questions that show you care, and listen to their responses attentively.
Be respectful of boundaries: Some topics might be sensitive. Always be mindful of personal boundaries and avoid pressing for answers to questions that may be uncomfortable.
Stay Positive: Keep the conversation light and positive. Compliment their ideas or experiences, and try to steer clear of overly negative topics.
Use Humor: A little humor goes a long way in college conversations. Just make sure it’s appropriate for the setting and not at anyone’s expense.
Ask Open-Ended Questions: These types of questions help to keep the conversation flowing. They give the other person the chance to elaborate on their thoughts.
Be a Good Listener: People love to talk about themselves. Pay attention and engage with what they say to keep the conversation going.

Conclusion

With these conversation starters for college students, you can build relationships and friendships. However, it’s important to use conversation starters based on the location, mood, and situation. For example, if someone is not interested in talking about family, avoid bringing it up repeatedly, as it could make the conversation feel boring.

Also, be sure to listen to the other person’s opinions and thoughts without interrupting while they speak.

If you enjoy conversation starters, feel free to check out our conversation starters for holidays and elders. And if any of these aren’t working for you, be sure to check out our random topic generator, which provides a huge list of questions and topics.

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70+ Conversation Starters For College Students