Hybrid Program Coming in 2027:

Making Friends in College: A Hybrid Summer Program

For Prospective & Current Auburn University Students With Social Fears, Difficulties, & Differences (Students from Other Colleges Also Welcome)

 

College is hard enough with the stress of schoolwork, but it’s even harder doing it alone with no community…

The endless homework, deadlines, and tests; the lack of sleep; finding time to eat; and everything else that comes with college life.

What’s worse is that you’ve been doing it all alone with no community or social network, which is something I understand first-hand.

Making friends in Auburn as a college student can be difficult when you experience social difficulties like shyness, social anxiety, for feeling really awkward in social settings.

You feel like you don’t belong anywhere, and you’re not thriving socially like your peers. And even when you do join the various organizations offered by the university, you still struggle to socialize and make friendships happen because of your social fears and difficulties.

And in classroom settings, you’re too afraid to speak up when you have a question and participate in group assignments. You feel like you don’t have anything valuable to say, so you stay quiet and confused instead of asking for what you need help with.

I want to help you fix that by connecting you with other students who experience similar struggles and helping you build your confidence in the classroom.

I’m Caroline, your program organizer and an AU grad class of 2021!

I’m a graduate of Auburn University’s School of Computer Science and Software Engineering class of 2021 and a full-time web developer/software engineer, but I’m also a part-time social confidence coach, the founder and owner of my business, The Introverted Misfit, and the organizer of The Right Fit Community, a social club for adults with social fears, differences, and difficulties based in the Auburn/Opelika area.

I navigated my 4-year degree on AU’s campus pretty well — I got reasonable grades, graduated on time, and stayed out of trouble, but it was a very lonely experience for one reason: I couldn’t seem to make or keep friends. In fact, socializing and building relationships were things I struggled a lot with during all of my schooling years.

The reason for my struggles was something called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Level 1, something I was diagnosed with in my late teens right before high school graduation. Because of my social difficulties and differences, I had trouble meeting and connecting with my peers, and it caused me to have major social anxiety for many years.

My journey to overcome shyness and social anxiety by building my social confidence is the reason I started my business, and my specific experience navigating a large, overwhelming college campus like AU is the reason I created this annual summer program for students with similar social struggles - whether they’re autistic or not.

Caroline’s graduation photo in front of the Shelby Center

Caroline was a member of the AU Marching Band.

Community organizing and social facilitating is what I already do. Now, I’m bringing it to AU students!

As the creator and organizer of The Right Fit Community in Auburn and Opelika AL, which is my club for adults with social fears, differences, and difficulties, I know what it takes to facilitate an environment in which people aren’t afraid to socialize and be themselves, and I know how to connect people with others who are a good fit for them.

I’m taking those same skills and strategies I already use and bringing them to Auburn University students who need an on-campus social network to feel safe, included, and accepted. Plus, this program includes 2 workshops that will teach you practical skills for building and maintaining relationships, and having confidence to participate in the classroom and group assignments.

Image of The Right Fit Community

Image of The Right Fit Community

Image of The Right Fit Community

This hybrid program will give you all the tools and connections you need to form relationships and have a healthy, manageable social life on campus.

This program is something I wish I had access to while I was in college. I know for a fact that having a community who understood my differences and struggles would’ve made college less miserable for me, and that’s exactly what this program will give you, plus some extra tools that will help you in every area of life.

Here’s what you’ll walk away with:

  • Practical social and relationship skills to help you make connections and maintain relationships long-term in college and beyond

  • Confidence-building strategies for speaking up and participating in a classroom setting

  • Valuable relationships and connections that make college way less stressful, less lonely, and more enjoyable

This program is right for you or your loved one if:

  • You are a future or current freshmen, sophomore, or junior at AU or any US-based college. Open to any race, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, etc.

  • You experience social difficulties like shyness, social anxiety, social awkwardness, or ASD (low support needs).

  • You want to meet new people, make friends on campus, and learn how to create and maintain relationships long-term.

  • You need confidence-building strategies for speaking up and participating in a classroom setting and group projects.

FAQs

  • This program is for future or current college freshmen, sophomores, or juniors who have trouble making friends due to various social challenges.

  • While this program is tailored for Auburn University students because of my direct connection to the school, non-Auburn college students are also welcome to join. The social, conversational, and friendship skills I'll be teaching are applicable to most college campus experiences. The only part you probably won't benefit from is the in-person social mixer at the end, which is meant for people on the same college campuses to meet each other.

  • When the price is finalized, payment will be required upfront in order to reserve your spot. You can get a full refund up to 3 days before the start of the program.

  • The cap for the in-person portion of this program is 40 people.

  • The first two days will be virtual workshops via Zoom focused on friendship-building skills and confidence-building skills to achieve academic success.

    The last day is the in-person meet and greet which I highly recommend you attend to get the full experience out of this workshop.

  • I understand! In the meantime, I highly recommend you do one of the following so you can stay tuned with all of my updates about the program:

    • Go ahead and apply for free using the form above and check the box that says “Sign up for news and updates” so you’ll receive my emails leading up to the event.

    • Follow me on Instagram or Facebook so you can view my content about the program.

  • I will issue full refunds up to 3 days before the start date of the program if you or your loved one can no longer attend. If you miss the deadline for refunds, I offer partial credit towards next year’s program, or partial credit towards one of my 1-on-1 coaching services and programs.

  • No, this program is not affiliated with or endorsed by Auburn University.

    I am a business owner who has experience in community organizing and facilitating in the Auburn Area and I happen to be an AU grad, but this program has no official connection to AU.

  • No problem - shoot me an email at caroline@theintrovertedmisfit.com and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

For questions and inquiries about this program, please contact Caroline at caroline@theintrovertedmisfit.com or use the form on my contact page using the button below:

Contact Caroline