How "cliquey" is Queen's?

I'm from Wales, thinking about applying to Queen's later this year. I really want to go somewhere new, and Belfast seems like a lovely city.

The only thing is, I've heard that it can be a bit cliquey because a lot of NI students already know each other, so tend to stick together. Is this true? I know quite a few people go home at weekends - I just don't want to feel lonely or have a hard time making friends.

Reply 1

mermania

Most people do go home at weekends, but you shouldn't have any problem making friends in halls - if people didn't want to meet new friends they wouldn't live in halls. Cliques from school tend to move into private accommodation in their existing groups rather than halls.

One of my best mates at QUB was Welsh and he had a fine old time.

Reply 2

Coup-d-Etat

Original post by Callia

I'm in first year at Queen's now and haven't found it that cliquey. To be fair, I am from NI but I knew absolutely no-one doing my course and everyone was friendly and willing to meet new people :smile:

. Also, if you're in halls everyone gets to know each other pretty fast and you've got a ready-made group to go out with!

Reply 3

The International

I was an international student there and I had no trouble making friends (not just other internationals.) As said above you will make friends in the halls, also I would recommend joining lots of clubs, you'll make lots of friends that way. I loved it so much I am going back there so Queens is a good pick!

Reply 4

Callia

Original post by The International

I was an international student there and I had no trouble making friends

Where were you from, if you don't mind me asking? :smile:

Thank you to everyone who answered!

Reply 5

kevR94

I want to go to Queens also and im a rather un-sociable person so i was worried about making friends. I suppose as people have said, living in halls will mean you will make loads of new friends.

Reply 6

Callia

^ I'm hoping that too. I went to a kind of 'taster' weekend last summer, and hated it because everyone stuck with their friends and being on my own, I felt really lonely. :frown:

I really don't want uni to be like that.

Reply 7

The International

Original post by Callia

Where were you from, if you don't mind me asking? :smile:

Thank you to everyone who answered!

I'm American.

Reply 8

kevR94

Original post by Callia

^ I'm hoping that too. I went to a kind of 'taster' weekend last summer, and hated it because everyone stuck with their friends and being on my own, I felt really lonely. :frown:

I really don't want uni to be like that.

im hoping to go to an open day in september like. Im taking a friend though so it shouldnt be too bad. Im sure it will turn out ok. :smile:

Reply 9

DervlaLFC

I think, personally, it'd be the same regardless of where you go. There are always groups of people who have chosen to make the transition from school to uni together and stick together throughout it. My opinion on that is that it's there loss! I'm going to Queens and can't wait to meet new people and make some new friends. It's true a lot of students go home at the weekend but I know I'll stay there for some and go home others, Belfast is a bustling city even minus the students :tongue:

if you're thinking about not coming here based on the open day/weekend thing you went to last summer you should really reconsider as it probably just felt really secluded as you're in a new city and open days are usually attended by schools so it's only natural there'd be cliques.
Even if you're not going to halls you'll make plenty of new friends, trust me! Everyone sticks together.