EPTBelow are a few things I can think of. While I wouldn't call them tips (since I've been away from China for so long so I have very little idea what college students do or how they behave these days), they might be helpful to you in some small way.
- As you said, you can try to find someone who share your interests. While Chinese college kids play a lot of computer games, my impression is that most of them play some sort of MMORPG rather than SC. And because they probably play in their dorms, it might be hard to get into their little circles if you are not friends with them already.
- I am sure the college have plenty of English majors, why not hang around their classrooms and see if someone needs your help? I have to warn you though that the mandatory English education in China is for the most part an utter failure, you need to be quite patient in enduring through all the bad grammar and bad pronunciation/enunciation.
- What sports do you play? Basketball is really popular here.
- You should look around and see what kind of foreigners Chinese like to hang out with. I sometimes see foreigners dress and walk all high and mighty, which is good for drawing some attentions to themselves and impressing a few girls, but most Chinese people might find that kind of foreigners unapproachable. To put it in another way, most Chinese students love to have a foreigner around them ("look! I have a buddy from overseas!"), but you need to make them feel comfortable.
- About getting a Chinese gf. Well, you should be a bit cautious toward those that are too eager and proactive, since they might just use you as an ATM machine (for some weird reason Chinese girls sure love their Prada and Louis Vuitton).
- Lastly, there are a few websites similar to Craigslist that have a "skill exchange" section. I don't know how reliable the listings are but it's some place you can take a look.
http://bj.ganji.com/jiaoyou2/
http://bj.58.com/jinengjiaohuan/
http://beijing.baixing.com/jinengjiaohuan/
