The Student Room Group

make more friends at uni?

I'm a fresher at uni. I am at home for Easter break now, so when I go back to uni next week there will be 6 weeks left until the end of the first year.
Problem is, during the 1st and 2nd semester, I havn't really made any good friends. Is that normal?
The people I go out with are my flatmates and they're pretty good friends, but I think its only because I live with them.
The people on my course are nice but not really the type of people I'd get along with save for a few (there are about 40 people on my course) and I'm quite shy so I tend to clam up in big groups of new people which is so annoying :frown:
I havn't really made friends with people around my halls of residence or anywhere else in the uni which brings me down... is that normal for 1st year or am I falling behind?

Sorry for the long post...
Reply 1
try and get involved in sports or society or something, everyone is in the same boat when you first get to uni so its really what you make of it.
if you are struggling, try to stay in halls for your second year and make a fresh start of things :smile:
Reply 2
Hmm... I have a couple of good friends at uni, but they're quite elusive. My flatmates just annoy me these days, but I've only got a month left on my lease (woo!).

I've got to go home every so often to get a decent conversation...
Reply 3
Anonymous
I'm a fresher at uni. I am at home for Easter break now, so when I go back to uni next week there will be 6 weeks left until the end of the first year.
Problem is, during the 1st and 2nd semester, I havn't really made any good friends. Is that normal?
The people I go out with are my flatmates and they're pretty good friends, but I think its only because I live with them.
The people on my course are nice but not really the type of people I'd get along with save for a few (there are about 40 people on my course) and I'm quite shy so I tend to clam up in big groups of new people which is so annoying :frown:
I havn't really made friends with people around my halls of residence or anywhere else in the uni which brings me down... is that normal for 1st year or am I falling behind?

Sorry for the long post...



Yes perfectly normal...either that, or I'm a freak too :wink:
In my first year I thought I was getting on really well with the people I lived with until about Christmas-time, when I started to realise that early on people had been completely false. By the final term, I realised that I really didn't have much in common with most of them and I've seen very little of any of them since. I thought going to uni would be a big adventure and that I'd meet lots of great friends (and a gf) but it hasn't happened. In the end you have to accept that you can't force these things to happen and, especially in terms of who you get put living with, it's basically luck of the draw.
I know what you mean about big groups of people as I'm the same. I think the most widely liked people in such groups are the loudest, most confident ones and while they can be cool I personally would rather get to know people who you have to dig away a little deeper to get the best from them. I know this doesn't help you find friends on your course though.
As somebody else has mentioned though I think some form of club/society has to be a possibility- one of the best things I've done at uni has been to get in a band which is not only great fun in itself but has been a way of making some new friends who I really get on with :yy:
Reply 4
Just to reiterate some of the advice already given..meeting new people is as simple as getting involved in a new activity or two, or societies or similar. The wonderful thing about universities is that most have an excellent selection of socs and clubs to join. You can learn a new sport or something which sounds interesting, or get involved with something you've enjoyed for years. You'll have a shared interest already with the other people in the society & often you'll end up going out for a drink or meal with some of the people and get to know them better. It really is a great way to make friends..have fun!