There you are, on campus and away from home for  the first time. You can’t go home for the weekend, and you don’t have classes all weekend long. If you’re a party animal, you don’t even need to read these suggestions — your weekend is all planned. But — believe it or not — not everyone wants to spend their weekend wasted. If you’re shy and unattached, you might need some help figuring out what to do with yourself on weekends. Here’s how to make them less lonely.

Find a group with a cause.

College is a time for deciding what you think about big issues in life. Do you care about a greener planet? Or feeding the hungry? Do you want to save the whales? Or save your soul? Whatever you believe in, there’s almost certainly a campus group who cares about the same thing. Find that group and join it. That way you’ll be working toward a cause you believe in and meeting people who believe in the same thing.

Take up a sport.

Not a team player? Even… maybe… just a bit of a klutz? Not to worry. It’s the perfect time to try something fairly extreme… like… (wait for it)… walking. Sure you walk around campus on weekdays, but try taking walks in nearby parks or even just in the prettiest parts of campus. It’ll get you out into nature. Good for your soul.

Volunteer.

Sometimes getting out of your own problems to help someone else is exactly what you need. Think about volunteering to help someone else. The specific cause doesn’t matter — just pick something you care about. Deliver meals to the elderly. Work at a soup kitchen. Work at an animal shelter. Build houses for the poor. Work on a political campaign. Whatever cause appeals to you — that’s the one to do.

Attend to your soul.

Okay, this might mean attending religious services of your choice. But not necessarily. Have you ever tried meditation? Even taking up a quality martial art can be a way to get in touch with your soul.

Take up yoga. Seriously.

Turns out, yoga is not just good for you — it’s great for mind and body. It’s been shown to help rheumatoid arthritis, mood, fibromyalgia, stroke recovery, reduce stress, reduce pain, and even improve diabetes.

Indulge in a hobby.

Never mind what’s good for you, or what’s good for others. What do you like to do? Weekends are your time to indulge. You might not have space for a massive collection in your dorm room, but if you check around on campus you can likely find people interested in everything from swing dancing to car repair. This is your time to indulge and explore your own interests, and the weekend is the perfect time to do that!

Get creative.

Do you long to be an artist even if you’re studying electrical engineering? Or do you want to be a great fashion designer and win “Project Runway” even though your major is nursing? Plan your class schedule so that you take one course each term that is sheer indulgence. Take a drama class, or one on flower arranging. If you are in a city, consider signing up for a weekend adult education class on some topic you love. Or… start writing that novel. You never know what will happen in future, but being creative is never a bad thing!

Make friends.

The best way of all to ensure a less lonely weekend is to make friends wherever you are. The friends you make now will be the core of your social and professional network when you graduate. So go out of your way to find other people you like and turn strangers into friends.