I ned help for uni

Anonymous #1

I need help to make new friends in uni

Reply 1

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I need help to make new friends in uni

Hi there,

Making friends at uni can be tricky and a lot of people struggle at first with finding ways to meet people and make new friends. Here are the best ways I have made friends or know of people who have made friends in these ways:

1- Join a society. You have probably heard this before but joining societies are great ways of getting to know new people and meeting lots of people. There are usually lots of people who join each society and people join them to be social and to meet new people so people are always up for making new friends here. Have a look and see if your uni has any that you like the sound of and see if you can join them as I think they are great. It's also good to just get you out of your house doing something that you enjoy and the socials are fun too! You also have a common interest with the people at the society so you will have a conversation starter if you are feeling stuck.

2- See if your student union is putting any events on. Quite often, the SU will put lots of different events on throughout the year which you can go to and meet some new people. It's worth a look - at Hallam, the SU puts lots of events on, from ice hockey matches to going to the cinema and they are really good events. I know a few people who have met friends through these so it is worth trying.

3- Social media. Quite often there will be groups on social media such as Facebook where you can meet some people who will be studying at your uni/already go to the uni and sometimes you can meet friends on here. I know a few people from doing this and you can meet lots of people this way. It can also feel less daunting than talking to people face to face so some people prefer doing this.

4- Make sure you are attending your lectures and seminars. They are great ways to meet people and talk to the people who are on your course. Try and sit net to new people and start conversations with them. Most people will be up for talking to someone new and making friends and I think lots of people would want to talk to you and see if you have any common interests at all or if you get on. Group work is also good for meeting people so if you have any of this, make sure you are participating and turning up to group meetings.

5- If you are living in halls, try and stay in the social areas sometimes in the evening or during the day and participate in what your other flatmates may be doing. See if they want to go out, or do a games night or movie night in the flat. You could also see if you meet anyone else in any other social areas in the building or other flats nearby to yours if you don't get on with your flatmates that well.

I hope some of this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

Reply 2

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I need help to make new friends in uni

Hi Anon,

I was in a similar situation as you in my first year as well- here are a couple things I did to build more connections and friendships in uni:

I took advantage of the diverse societies university had to offer- clubs and societies are a great way to meet people with similar interests. Join clubs that genuinely interest you, whether academic, sports, or hobby-based. Regularly attending helps people recognize and remember you, and you'll always have something to talk about as you share the same interests!

In my modules that had group work, I made an effort to get to know my group members. By suggesting to meet up for study sessions or grabbing a coffee to discuss the project. It was a natural way to transition from cohorts to friends.

At times where I felt shy or timid, I reminded myself that we're all sort of in the same boat- trying to make friends and adjusting to a new environment. I told myself that no one would judge me for trying to make conversation, or for saying "hi" first.

All the best!
Danish
BCU Student Rep

Reply 3

UCLan Student

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I need help to make new friends in uni

Hi there,

Sorry to hear this. Making friends can be difficult and many students are in a similar boat when it comes to this. There are many ways to make friends during your time at uni and often than not having more patience will help too. Here's some ways I made friends at uni:

-Joining Facebook groups. Most universities have social groups on Facebook or WhatsApp, where students can get to know their flat mates, course mates and ask questions. This is a great way to make new connections.

-As freshers is over, see if your student union/university are putting on any events. There are events throughout the academic year for all types of people. So whatever you enjoy doing there will most likely be an event to allow you to meet new people.

-Joining a society! This is a great way to meet likeminded people and participate in group settings. This will get you out of your accommodation and also allow you to do what you enjoy. Check out your student union/uni and see what societies there are and often you can make your own society too!

-If you are living in accommodation then spending time in the kitchen when others are around and starting conversations is a great way to make friends too. If not, seeing if your class mates want to grab lunch together or go for a coffee/drink after your lectures, to end your day by being around others.

Hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions 🙂
^Zac