How can I make friends with university students?
You sound like someone with more than interest in ‘technical idea’, because, 1) ‘technical’ is very vague and if you were really an engineer you would mention something like fluid mechanics or semiconductor design ,etc., 2) you don’t need to make friends to discuss technical ideas, 3) most people with such interests know that young university students do not really have great technical ideas and do not talk intelligently about them; you find them in specialist clubs, e.g. vintage steam train societies, and such like. If you are really interested in young people, you will find that most of them are too young for you and you are heading for disappointment or a minefield.