It wasn’t easy to track down old friends back in the day. College is the best time of many people’s lives and a time they look back on with nostalgia. This is why some went to great lengths to find old college buddies, including publishing classifieds, perusing the dusty phone book, or going to reunions in the hope of meeting them there.
Now, it’s much easier to track down old buddies thanks to search engines, social media, and background screening services. It is also free in most cases. People search engines, in particular, have made it very easy to search for people online.
This article describes the most effective ways to find old college friends online.
Contents
Getting started
Before you begin, compile and organize any information you remember about them. They won’t be hard to find as long as you have something to go on. Contact other people who knew them and ask what they can remember or know about them now.
Check alumni groups
Enter the name of the school you went to in your search engine of choice, enclosed by quote marks, then add “alumni.” The results page will reveal if your college has an alumni group. Many schools have Facebook pages for alumni groups as well.
You need to sign up as a new member if you find the group for your old college or university. If you have a membership, you will get access to class directories, photos, information about other members, and announcements about reunions.
There might be other members you already know. You will be connected to them if so, and you can send them emails or messages through the group’s system.
Alumni.net is the best-known alumni site. It started almost two decades ago and now has millions of members all over the world. Its database will probably contain information about the person you’re looking for. It is easy and free to register.
You can post a message on the site’s bulletin board. The only issue with alumni.net is that you need to invite other people to the site when signing up as well as provide additional personal information about yourself.
To find an old college friend on Facebook, enter their name in the search bar, then go to “Education” on the results page and click on “Choose a School.” Enter your college name, and your friend’s name might appear on the list.
Alternatively, you can search by city. The results list will show some cities to choose from.
You could also find a mutual acquaintance this way, who will know something about their current whereabouts. Do a Facebook search on them as well. They might have a public friend list you can look through. They could be friends with someone who has the same name as your friend, which is a risk.
Search for companies or schools
Your old college friend might be associated with another school, a company, or a different organization. You’ll get lots of results if you search by country, state, and county. Search with terms specific to organizations rather than just their names. If your college name is common, doing this is especially advisable.
You can look people up by name when you join the respective organization. If your friend is female, you might not get far searching by maiden name as she could have gotten married in the meantime.
ReferenceUSA
This platform has some of the most reliable information about people. You can access their services if your library supports them. This is possible either from the library or through your computer at home.
Final thoughts
Over time, it’s normal to lose touch with people, especially after leaving school. People become more focused on work or starting families. Friendships take a lower priority.
Still, finding an old friend is worth your time and effort. You’ll love reconnecting with them and vice versa. Plus, it’s never been easier. Hopefully, these tips will help. Good luck!
