Voting for TSRs Ultimate Study Playlist is NOW OPEN >>

Making friends at uni

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Reply 1

ExeterStudentRep

Official Rep

Hi Anonymous #1

My advice would be to look at what societies are available. I’m unsure of which university you want to attend, but have a look on their website - there should be a section dedicated to it. It’s a brilliant way to meet like-minded people and share or discover new interests! Your department might also run events, such at meetups or lectures with guest speakers. I’ve found that attending these events has let me meet new people on my course and I’ve made several friends this way. I am also not a massive party person, but through societies and different events I’ve made some amazing friends. Best of luck during freshers, and I hope have an amazing time.

Jen,

University of Exeter student ambassador

Reply 2

Teesside University

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous #1

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hello,

I can understand why you feel a little apprehensive about making friends and there is a big stigma around freshers that everyone goes out to drink but you will be surprised at the amount of non-alcoholic freshers events your uni should host and the amount of students that don't actually drink! You can still attend nights out sober too - and I can guarantee you won't be the only one!

I know it's a cliché, but societies and sports groups are such a good way to make friends due to you being surrounded by like minded people and you are likely to hit it off with other people due to your common interest. As difficult as it is, try to be brave and put yourself out there, or even studying on campus and engaging with familiar faces in the library helped me make friends!

Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 3

ARUOfficial

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous #1

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hi there!

I don’t think you’re alone when you say you are worried about making friends – lots of students coming to university will be feeling the same way.

As already suggested, societies are a great way to meet like-minded people and a fun way to spend time outside of university studies. You'll find there are a lot of societies to choose from, so be sure to take your pick and get stuck in!

We know our students have once been there, including Fatima, who is now one of our student ambassadors! You can watch her share her top tips on how to make friends. From attending Welcome Week to getting a part-time job, there are plenty of opportunities 😊 Or you can read a blog from Andreea who also shares her top tips on how to make friends at ARU.

We wish you good luck!
Jemma

Reply 4

YSJstudents

Official Rep

Hi,

As already mentioned joining sports clubs and societies are a really good way to meet new friends. I was really worried about meeting friends at uni as well, as I didn’t stay in uni accommodation and thought it would impact me making friends. It didn’t. I found that getting a part time job as student ambassador, was also a really good way to meet new people and also grow my confidence whilst at uni. I joined a sports club in my second year (it was lockdown in my first year), and have met some of my closest friends through the club and has become one of my highlights whilst at university.

Have a look at the university website and see what clubs and society’s they have, and if any of them interest you. There will also be an opportunity in freshers week to go to a freshers fair and be able to sign up to taster sessions and ask any questions.

Starting university can be a really scary but exciting time all at the same time, and you won’t be the only person who is worried about meeting new friends. Everyone will be in the same position, and will be equally as nervous, even if they don’t show it. Good luck!

Suzan - Student Ambassador

Reply 5

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous #1

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hi Anon,

I'd recommend that you try and check out the fresher events your university has to offer because I assure you not all the events are party oriented. You may also find that some societies host all sorts of events to promote their society as well during freshers. Freshers tend to cater to all types of students who also choose not to participate in parties and drinking.

I think it's important to keep in mind that everyone is in the same boat at freshers and share the same intention to mingle and make friends.

Good luck,
Danish
BCU Student Rep

Reply 6

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous #1

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hi there,

Lots of people think this so don't worry you are not alone. Try not to worry about it though because you will not be the only one who doesn't drink or party and you will find people who feel the same.

Firstly, I would say that a great way of making friends is by joining societies! Before you go to uni, I would recommend having a look online and seeing if you can find a list of the societies that your university offers and see if you would enjoy joining any of these as sometimes it can be overwhelming when there is a lot of choice at freshers fairs! When you get to uni go to the societies fair/ sports fair and see all of the options available and this is a great opportunity to chat to the students running the stands and see how they have liked the society. You can also then sign up for give it a go sessions which are usually free/cheap and you can see which you like. This is a great way of making friends as you already have a common interest! The socials are fun too and some societies will put on socials which don't involve drinking or partying at all, e.g. going to a restaurant or the cinema so this would be great too.

I would also suggest that you suggest to your friends to do things that aren't just drinking. In freshers week people will be going out and drinking but they will still probably be up for doing other things too so it's a god idea to suggest it so you still do fun things with them and get to know them without the pressure of having to go out with them to do this. Suggest a movie night, or cinema trip, or a games night!

Also, making plans with the people you meet on your course is a great idea too. Suggest going for a coffee or for lunch after uni, or going to the library together! Making sure you attend uni as much as you can is the best way to make friends on your course and try and sit with people in lectures/seminars and get chatting to them!

Making friends in freshers is about putting yourself out there, regardless of whether you drink or not! So make sure you are asking people to do things with you and saying yes to things that you want to do as in freshers week everyone wants to make friends!

I hope this helps,

Lucy-SHU student ambassador.

Reply 7

FayeYSJ

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hi!
I am very similar and felt the same when first heading to university, however I soon found my people and settled in. There are plenty of societies and freshers week events that do not revolve around drinking and nights out. Within these societies and events you will find likeminded people who feel the same and enjoy the same activities.

Hope this helps! Faye :smile:

Reply 8

University of Sunderland Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hi there,

I know freshers week can seem really really daunting, especially when you don't drink or like partying as much as others. I first want to say that that is absolutely okay! When you first move into uni, it is totally normal not to want to go out when you are getting your bearings in a new place, I know I was nervous about that at the start as well.
Also, freshers week is so much more than partying! There are always loads of events and things on in the daytime as well, whether its within your actual course or as part of the students union there is always ways to meet other people.

I think my best piece of advice would be to join societies! Depending on the uni you go to, there are loads of societies for all different hobbies, sports and extra-curriculars which I am sure you will fit into well. I myself joined a few at uni and it's a great way to meet like minded people who enjoy similar things to you.

I have no doubt that you will find your feet at uni, and you will make plenty of friends even without partying.

Best of luck at university,

Ellen
Y4 Medical Student
Uni of Sunderland Digital Ambassador

Reply 9

Chester Student

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hi there,

Coming to university can be daunting, especially for this reason, but please remember that there are people who are feeling the same as you.

I can totally understand where you're coming from, as I felt the same. I don't drink a lot or enjoy clubbing at all, so I was worried I'd be left out. This really wasn't the case. I ended up finding so many people that didn't want to go out and didn't drink a lot, so we hung out together, played games, and got to know each other. It was a lot of fun!

I'd recommend that you stay open to meeting everyone and trying as much as you can. If you don't drink or go out, that's absolutely fine, but there are also a lot of other things you can get involved in. Have a look at sports and societies; go to all of the fresher's fairs; see what kind of activities your university may host (outdoor movie nights, games, workshops); and just be open to being an active part of your new community.

Talking to the people in my accommodation was how I found my friends, so I'd also recommend doing that. Keeping your door wedged open (if you're allowed) is a great way to meet people during move-in!

Best of luck,

Isabella
Third-year Geography with a Year Abroad Student

Reply 10

University of Sunderland Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Hi there!

Congrats on getting into uni and leaving your comfort zone by studying in a different city. Fresher's is a fun time where you learn about the university and meet a lot of people. Fresher's isn't all about getting drunk so you don't need to worry at all. A few things that would usually happen are Course Orientation, Student activities like game nights, movie night or introducing you to different clubs and societies. There are many things that happen that you don't drink at all. Don't ever do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable just so people would like you. As long as you get involved as much as possible, you won't miss out on any experiences. Just be yourself and fully immerse yourself in the journey! Goodluck in Uni and I hope you have an amazing university life, hope this alleviates some of your worries.

Reply 11

Bo77 Tman

Original post by Anonymous

I very rarely drink and am not a party person, with freshers coming up I'm worried I won't be able to make many friends, especially in a new city, any advice?

Apologies for these idiotic bots responding with the same nonsense about “joining societies blah blah blah.”
The reality is that it’s actually very hard to make friends at university unless you are very confident or good looking.