How to Overcome Shyness & Feel More Confident in College

Confidence is something had by few and desired by all. If you’re someone who suffers from social anxiety, self-esteem issues, shyness, or anything similar, know that you’re not alone. I’ve felt that way, too.

It’s easy to feel a lack of confidence in college, where you’re expected to be meeting all these new people and trying new things. For some of us, that’s wildly intimidating. With that said, college is also the perfect place to grow your self-confidence. After all, confidence is not some unique trait had only by the lucky few who were born with it. Confidence can be practiced and learned by anyone, just like any other skill.

Today, I present to you a few steps for overcoming shyness and becoming more confident:

Table of Contents

1. Fix your body language.

Stand up straight. Look straight ahead, not at the floor. Don’t cross your arms or put your hands in your pockets. Don’t lean on things. Take up space. If you’re walking, even if it’s just to the bathroom, walk with a purpose.

Correcting the way you hold yourself will instantly make you look more confident. The trick is to remember that if your body language says you’re confident, no one can tell that you’re not. You could be internally screaming that you don’t belong somewhere, but if your spine is straight and your head is up, it makes it a whole lot harder for anyone else to sense your fears. 

2. Talk to strangers.

You don’t have to strike up long, amazing conversations with the person in front of you at the Starbucks line, but you can get there if you want. 

Start with the small. Make a habit of giving out compliments to people you don’t know – maybe that girl who sits behind you in lecture who has the most amazing bag, for instance. This is great because it boosts confidence in two ways. The stranger gets a compliment, and you get a little practice in speaking to someone you don’t know.