Meeting/greeting new people at uni

ok, hopefully got this thread in the right place.

I was just wondering what people's opinions were when it came to meeting/greeting new people at uni. whats the best way to start conversions (i guess where r u from / what course u on, are the main ones). also, how should you best greet these new fellow students. should i wave and say hi, shake everybodies hand etc etc. everybody's thoughts welcome :biggrin:

i know its a bit silly, but hey, i dont what to make a fool of myself on the very first day :rolleyes:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Glory

the uni normally runs ice breakers on the first week so you can get to know your class. Quiz's and things like that, you tend meet new people straight away.

I found on the first day, if theirs group that already know each other and your standing near, they will try and bring you into the convo.

Reply 2

Helenia

I wouldn't shake hands in the first week or so - half these people you're never going to meet again and you'd spend most of your time doing that! Just say hi and expect to have the same dull conversation over and over and over again :wink:

Reply 3

CW Esq

You could suggest you both try to avoid the boring conversation and get down to the good stuff.

Reply 4

buttons7

CW Esq

You could suggest you both try to avoid the boring conversation and get down to the good stuff.

you could... although you might want to consider that saying something like that to a complete stranger might make them think that you are hitting on them. you might be, of course, but i imagine that, for at least 50% of the time (unless you are bi), this is not really the impression you want to be making.

Reply 5

Helenia

CW Esq

You could suggest you both try to avoid the boring conversation and get down to the good stuff.

But it does generally help to know people's names. :p:

After about the first three people you meet it becomes very repetitive so making jokes about it is fine. If you can come up with other things to talk about then all the better!

Reply 6

chriswhit

[QUOTE="Eek-A-Mouse"]ok, hopefully got this thread in the right place.

I was just wondering what people's opinions were when it came to meeting/greeting new people at uni. whats the best way to start conversions (i guess where r u from / what course u on, are the main ones). also, how should you best greet these new fellow students. should i wave and say hi, shake everybodies hand etc etc. everybody's thoughts welcome :biggrin:

Just be friendly..sounds stupid but it will work best! I found as you have said the standard questions were whats ur name, where do u come from, what ur A levels were, what you are doing now and stuff. Shaking hands is probably a bit formal, just say "hi" and smile!

i

know its a bit silly, but hey, i dont what to make a fool of myself on the very first day

Don't worry, we've all been there :smile:

Everyone is in the same boat and im sure u will find most people really friendly and eager to meet new hall mates, course mates etc.

Reply 7

Glory

hi what's your name (instantly forgotten)
what are you studying
which hall are you in
where are you from
what A levels did you do

Dont presume they are from the halls or that this is their first year. I would ask are you staying on campus? if they are then ask what hall their from. Making presumptions is a bad idea, people like everything being ask, not leaving grey areas of presumptions.

However i found since i wasnt on campus, it wasnt the first thing i asked. One of my mates was on campus and she kinda just brought it up instead of me asking. Within the first week she has shown me around her flat of 6 rooms and told me the name of her henry and next doors henry's hoover. :biggrin:

Reply 8

ed,edd,eddd,edddd

for people who get nervous or dont know what to talk about with complete strangers i suggest you practice, by maybe talking to people on skype from all over the world,

Reply 9

Billistic

Totally off topic...

What is Skype?

Reply 10

anirose

Billistic

Totally off topic...

What is Skype?

Skype is a programme a little like MSN which allows you to phone people all around the world for free as long as they also have Skype. If they dont have skype you can call their landline at a reduced rate compared to normal. It's really good although personally i sometimes get calls from people in Turkey who are kinda freaky.

Reply 11

xXMessedUpXx

well i imagine i'll be the scary person trying to talk to everyone and anyone and who mosty people decide to spend the rest of their lives avoiding :biggrin:

Reply 12

paddy123

meeting everyone for the first time when i go I think is going to be the most daunting task for me - because it takes a while for me to "come out of my shell" so to speak.. I just dont want people thinking Im a freaky quiet guy! hehe

Reply 13

xXMessedUpXx

It wasn't a list of questiosn to ask - but (based on 2 years as a fresher plus 6 freshers weeks) what you WILL be asked during freshers week again and again and again and again.

If you want more interestnig conversations make a badge or a bunch of cards up with the answers to these questions and ask people about their favourite drinks

oooooooh i'm going to wear a badge aying "Hello my name is ....Beki"

Reply 14

sexysax

I'm lucky enough to have know a few people already there and a few people going so we can go together to introduce ourselves to others :smile:

Reply 15

blackhalen

i love meeting new people. im quite looking forward to it :smile:

Reply 16

_poptart_

I dont know anyone when I get there, but thats what makes it so scary, but exciting at the same time!
Im not worried about it really, after all by the first evening Im sure me and my new flatmates will be down the local pub or just exploring the area.
As long as you keep a smile on your face, and maybe have some kind of bribe to get people to like you (a bag of sweets might do the trick!) then it will be fine.
if anything Im worried about being with people who make no effort to be friendly towards me, ill prob have got on everyone's nerves by day 1 :biggrin:

Reply 17

Selectronic

I'm taking a big tin of chocolates :biggrin:

Reply 18

af1

meeting new people is ph fat, leave your ****** past behind init. even give yourself a nickname like 'ace' or something.

Reply 19

crazydaveuk

af1

meeting new people is phat, leave your past behind init. even give yourself a nickname like 'ace' or something.

I think if you give yourself a nickname like that, you'll immediately earn a few
others once they've stopped talking to you..! Of the less flattering kind. :p:

But I agree, the idea of reinventing yourself is appealing... or rather, just presenting yourself as you are now, and who you want to be. By the end of secondary school people were getting their own identities, but it never kinda worked because everyone remembered what a prat you'd been since back in year 8! It got too claustrophobic like that. I guess Uni gives you that same sort of anonymity a city does.

Though when it comes to meeting new people... I realise now that at the start of 6th-form college, I started talking to the first guy I sat next to, and I slotted straight into his group of friends from their old school! Those were basically the mates I had the whole 2 years! Sounds daft now, it could have all gone so differently.