Getting Out of Our Comfort Zone: Meeting New People

One of the challenges of leaving home to start university is leaving behind your school friends and long-established social groups. One of the best ways to overcome any anxiety regarding meeting new people is to start by joining in with campus activities. A key advantage of starting uni and living on campus is that you will be able to meet students from all over the world in your accommodation and have the chance to socialise in student run events. Keep reading for some tips on getting out of your comfort zones and meeting new people.

Societies and Sports Clubs – At Swansea University, students can join any of our 150 societies and sports clubs while they are at university. As a new student, feel free to start within your comfort zone and join societies that are either linked to subjects you are studying or sports you have been playing since school. Then slowly or all at once explore new societies or sports! A good place to start is the Freshers Fayre held in September and January. Visit the student led stalls and start a conversation to find out more! Feel free to tag along with your new-found flatmates or course mates to these stalls. Check out more on our Students’ Union website.

GoSocial and International@CampusLife – Meeting new people at university especially as an international student can be hard. Here at Swansea, we are mindful of students coming from all corners of the world and we try to make the transition as smooth as possible. International@CampusLife is your one stop shop for fun activities and day trips to explore your adopted city or even country! Events like Go! Walk/Explore can help you find out interesting things about your new surroundings. The most important tip is to be open to new experiences. Find out more here and begin exploring!

Study abroad – Nothing gets you out of your shell more than exploring new surroundings while learning at university. Take advantage of the study abroad schemes attached to several subjects and degree courses in Swansea. Not only will you gain valuable experience and transferrable skills, but you will also get to meet students such as yourself from different settings. You can find more info here.

Hope these tips give you a small starting point and help you make big changes at uni!

Ruchika Yadav – Swansea Student Ambassador – 3rd year Graduate Entry Medicine