Belen Yudess ’25 and Ellen Hu ’24
Social Media Manager and Editor- in-Chief
The other day I was talking with one of my friends, another Scripps student, about cross-campus dining and how strange it was to see men in Malott. Our conversation led us down a rabbit-hole and we soon realized that most of our friends at the 5Cs were women and most of those women attend Scripps. We both came away from that conversation with the same conclusion — we need more friends from the other 5Cs.
This is what I call the Scripps bubble: an anomaly that has impacted many students this year. Based on conversations with other Scripps students I know, it seems to have especially impacted first years and sophomores.
It’s not surprising given that sophomores started their college careers in a virtual space where most cross-campus interactions occurred during Zoom class. First years entered a campus ripe with restrictions aiming to reduce cross-campus infection rates.
Yet, this hasn’t stopped many students from getting to know people from the other 5Cs. I have friends who spend almost all of their time catching up with a full contact list of people from each of the campuses. I look to them as living proof that making non-Scripps friends is possible, so what am I doing wrong?
I would like to note that this does not mean I don’t have any friends who aren’t Scripps students. I swear I do — there just aren’t that many of them.
While I am by no means an expert in making friends, I’ve consulted some of my more extroverted pals who have managed to pop the Scripps bubble. Here are some of their key pieces of their advice:
The first is joining 5C CLORGs. I’m guilty of only finding myself in Scripps organizations, but there are so many other groups that bring together members of all of the colleges. The extremely well-attended 5C CLORG fair held at the beginning of the fall semester only proves my point.
The great thing about joining CLORGs is that they create inevitable opportunities for forced social interaction with people from other campuses, which many people (including myself) need. Regular meetings make for several opportunities to introduce yourself to someone you may have a friend-crush on.
Even better, the occasional 5C mixer gives you a broader pool to draw from when deciding who to approach. Let’s be honest, you’re probably not going to remember every person you say hello to while you’re there, but at least you’ll be able to recognize a friendly face every once in a while. Is forgetting someone’s name mere seconds af- ter you met them a real anecdote from my own life? It 100 percent is. Don’t tell the person whose name I can’t remember, though.
CMS Intramural sports are another great way to expand your social and athletic horizons! Although you may not run into a Sagehen at your intramural dodgeball match, there are various Athenas and Stags who are possible best friend material. The CMS recreation team offers a wide range of options, from the classics such as volleyball and soccer, to more unique selections, like innertube water polo or ultimate frisbee. Whether you have been training for that green intramural champs long sleeve your whole life, or simply need another way to procrastinate on a Thursday night, just sign up for a random team.
Of course, you can’t forget about the innate opportunities provided to you as a student: cultivating a set of classroom buddies. I have found classroom interactions to have a higher percentage of success stories.
Bonding over a lack of chemistry knowledge, trying to psych ourselves up to get through Spanish class, and attempting to excavate knowledge from dense chapters of media theory have all brought me closer to students from other colleges. Suffering is a key bonding factor that you may need to embrace.
When it’s time for the inevitable small groups portion of your class and you all plot the best way to avoid being called on by the professor, don’t pair up with the fabulously dressed Scripps student. Throw caution to the wind and introduce yourself to the Pitzer student — aka your key to obtaining Pit-Stop coffee and pastries. Use this time wisely, and make sure to talk about your shared interests in thrifting and succulents to create a sense of trust. Then, casually suggest continuing the conversation at The Pit- Stop, so you can finally be reunited with your peach mango smoothie (with almond milk of course). Not only have you secured entrance into the forbidden land, but you also made an ally for the ruthless participation battles that will arise in the future.
Don’t let your social spirit end with your class, bring it with you to the dining halls! With cross-campus dining almost in full-swing, it’s only logical to take advantage of the new opportunities and put yourself out there.
With the fire hazard, also known as Malott taco nights, you don’t even need to leave campus to build this new sense of community. Talk to the Pomona student behind you in line — that way, the next time you venture to their neck of the woods you can say you have a Frary/Frank friend. Never underestimate the power of alliteration.
Or the next time you order your caramel frappuccino — this time with oat milk — from Muddbucks, don’t just mindlessly scroll through Instagram while you wait. Engage in some conversation about Mudd’s most notable feature: the West sailboat! What happened to the boat? Where did it come from? Who were the masterminds behind this addition? Did it ever exist, or was it simply a caffeine and stress induced hallucination? How I Met Your Mother sums this socialization tactic up best: “boats, boats, boats.”
While the Scripps bubble is comfortable, there are so many ways to pop it. Sure, some of them might take a little inner-hyping-up to happen, and the adrenaline rush of being one of the few souls to make it out of Malott with cold brew, but getting to know members of the other 5Cs is worth it. Well, at least I hope it is.
Image Source: Scripps College
