Friends in University
Reply 1
There is a society/club for literally everything you could think of from football to quidditch to hill walking.
These are open to all, you can join any time and most of them are very cheap. Whatever your interest is you go to the society and meet people who have the same interests as you.
Once you find some nice people you can ask them if they wanna do something afterwards, drink/coffee etc.
As well as this, freshers week is designed so that you meet new people, literally everyone is looking for friends during freshers so it isn't tough to find some.
Best of luck!
There are lots of opportunities to make friends at uni.
Will you be staying in uni accommodation? If so, then there'll be potential friends in your flat. Most social interaction will be in the kitchen, so make sure you spend time there. Not necessarily to cook, but just to put yourself in a situation where you can meet your other flatmates. So make tea/coffee and drink it in the kitchen whilst reading a book or using your phone. I'd someone comes in, say hello and introduce yourself.
Then there's people on your course. Very few (if any) will know each other before hand, so in your first lecture sit next to someone and say, "Hi." and see what happens. If nothing clicks, then sit next to someone else in the next lecture.
Then then are the clubs and societies. Make sure you join some. Do this even if you're not that interested in the club itself, because it's a useful additional source of potential friends. Most clubs and societies have a social element to them (not just pub-based, although that can be quite common). Then might organise a pizza night, or a trip to an ice-skating rink, or whatever. They're just opportunities to get to know each other.
Also, in the first week there's Welcome Week, where the Students' Union and the uni itself will arrange things which allow people to mix together. These could be anything from an over-the-top drinking game to a sedate treasure hunt. Go to as many of these events as you can manage.
The key thing to remember is that it's your responsibility to put yourself in situations where the opportunity to make friends exists. If your spend all your time in the library or in your room, then you can't complain if you don't make friends. You need to put yourself in situations where you might meet potential friends. Even if that's uncomfortable for you.
Good luck. You'll be fine.
Hi @olivia_stressing
First of all Congratulations on applying to University, do you know where you are going?
Secondly, you may be surprised how common this fear is. I was concerned about this when I decided to start my current degree in my thirties, but believe me everyone else is in the same boat. There are lots of opportunities to make friends at university.
For example...
1.
Freshers Week - The majority of universities have a Freshers/Induction week where you get the opportunity to get to know the university and your course. There will be fun events organised where you can meet other first years. For example, my uni had all sorts of events, but my favourite was 'Speed Friending' which sounds quite awkward, but I actually met some great mates there because we all wanted to be there and make some new friends.
2.
Societies - Usually, there is a Freshers Fair during your first couple of weeks at university where lots of the societies attend, this is worth attending just for the freebies! Societies are a brilliant way to meet like-minded people. Societies can range from the perhaps more traditional ones like rugby and swimming to snow sports, board games, the Taylor Swift Society, the Racing car Society, and the BSL Society. At my university most of the societies offer a free taster session, then it is up to you if you part with any money to join, ours usually offer an annual or termly membership fee, but other universities might charge a couple of pounds every time you attend.
3.
Course - Hopefully you will make friends with your coursemates because after all you are studying a subject, you all find interesting. I would advise turning up early to classes and hanging around afterwards when you start so you get the chance to chat with other first-years and work out who you might want to hang out with more. If you are a bit worried about starting a conversation, I often find offering someone a sweet can be a good conversation opener.
4.
Housemates - I don't know if you will be moving away and living in university accommodation, but if you are this is a great way to meet people outside of your course. Often students make great friends with their first-year house/flatmates, quite a few people on my course got on so well with some of their housemates that they decided to live together in a student house for their second year.
5.
Part-time Work - I don't know if you will have time or are planning to work alongside your studies, but I have made some of my best friends through my work as a Student Ambassador at the University, not only is the work interesting, flexible around my studies, involves working with a fun bunch of people, but I also get paid to do it!
Lucy 🙂
(Official Uni of Salford student Rep)
Hi there,
I think everyone is worried about making friends before going to uni! And like others have said there are loads of opportunities in your flat, course and any societies you might join where you can make friends.
My best advice though is don't stress about not making them quick enough, loads of people worry that they don't meet their best friend straight away but sometimes it can take a bit longer to make those firm friends so don't worry if its been a week or two and you haven't connected really strongly yet!
Good luck
Amber
Coventry University Student Ambassador
Reply 5
Hi
Feeling scared that you aren't going to make any friends is totally normal and this is a feeling that is felt by many people starting university.
I would advise you to attend as many different events as you can during Welcome Week as this is a great time to meet coursemates and other people within the university. In addition to this, there are lots of sports teams and societies that you can join that cover a wide range of interests and topics, this can be another great way to make friends with like-minded individuals.
I hope this helps,
Matt
Wrexham Student Reps
Reply 6
Hi Olivia
Firstly, please don’t worry or be scared about starting university and not being able to make friends, I am certain that by the end of Welcome Week you will have loads of friends I had more than I’d ever had in school and we are all still friends years and years later!
As the earlier replies have said the onus is on you to make the effort to join in with events and activities though and the more you do, the more friends you will make.
At Chester university, all new starters have access to social media groups for their specific course so you have the opportunity to talk virtually with your classmates and meet each other before the course starts which gives you a bit of a head start.
Are you living in uni accommodation? If so immediately you will be connecting with a group of housemates, floor mates so when you arrive be friendly, introduce yourself, sit in the kitchen and common room make yourself visible and always there to talk to people, rather than shutting yourself away. If you make a coffee go see if anyone else wants one.
Then there’s Welcome Week which is so much fun! Here you can sign up to uni clubs and societies and make the most of this, join everything that you’re sort of interested in and then you will meet people who have similar interests, hobbies and sports as you. During the week there will be loads of events run by the student union and the university so join in with as much as you can however weird and wacky it sounds give it a go.
The vital thing to remember is that everyone is new and everyone feels nervous and shy so you will be no different, but you will soon settle in and make friends and have have a brilliant time,
I hope this helps,
Jess
Phd English
University of Chester
Reply 7
Hi Oliva,
Congratulations on applying to university 🙂 Have you decided where you want to go?
This is a very popular questions and being a recent graduate myself, I can say that I have felt overwhelmed thinking about friends and how to make them. Many students are in the same boat.
A piece of advice I wish I got when I first started university is: have patience, it takes time to build friendships. Knowing this in my first year would have been so beneficial, so hopefully this will help you. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and give your self the time and patience to meet new people.
Freshers and welcome week are great ways to meet new people. They allow you to explore what university has to offer. You will be able to participate in various activities, get freebies and meet some new people. You also get to explore the clubs and societies your uni has to offer. These are great to meet likeminded people with similar interests. Societies can vary from sport clubs and societies such as football to anime films society. There is something for everyone and often than not you can create your own society.
Joining Facebook course groups or other social media groups, is something I would recommend too. You get to know your course mates before starting uni meaning you are more comfortable when meeting them in person. This makes it easier to meet up before your first lecture or if you want arrange going freshers together. If there aren't groups for you to join then you will hopefully make friends during your classes. You are studying the same subject meaning you should have stuff in common with them. 🙂
Are you moving out? Living in halls is a great way to meet new people and become friends with your flat mates, outside your course. I made great friends during my time living in halls, then ended up living with them my whole time at university. Living in university halls is great as you are with first year students who are in the same boat as you. Often, people then move to private accommodation or flat with the people they have made friends with during first year. It's also normal if this doesn't happen or it takes longer. You've got this.
I hope this helps and best of luck 🙂
^Zac
Reply 8
Hi @olivia_stressing,
Lots of people feel this way before they start university so try not to worry as this is a very common question. You have received some great replies but I thought I could still share some of the ways that I made friends at uni so you have lots of different perspectives!
•
Join a society. I think these are great ways of meeting lots of people and making new friends. There will be lots at your uni so have a look in freshers week at the society/sports fairs and see if there is anything that you are interested in. Most of them will do a taster or trial session so you can see if you like it and they are good things to do so I would suggest trying this!
•
Have a look on social media before you come. If you have Facebook, often there will be groups on here before you start uni where people will post about their course and where they are living so have a look and see if you can start chatting to anyone here before you start!
•
If you are living in halls, you will have flatmates that you are living with which are good ways of making friends as you will see them a lot. Try and spend time in the kitchen/other social areas, especially when you start as this is a good way of getting to know your flatmates.
•
See if the SU at your uni puts any events on. These are often good ways of meeting some new people and making new friends and you can often try something fun at the events too!
•
Try and chat to people in your lectures and seminars. You will meet so many people here and everyone will be looking to make friends so just try and chat to some of these people! You are likely to do some form of group work in seminars too which is a good way of talking to some new people!
Overall, try not to worry too much as it will be everybody's first time there too and everyone will be looking to meet people. Just be yourself and be friendly and you will meet lots of lovely people 🙂
I hope some of this helps,
Lucy -SHU student ambassador.
Reply 9
Hi!
I was so worried about this before I started university too, but I am now in my third year and I can happily say I have made some of the best friends. You will make friends on your course, at part time jobs, societies and many more places, at the start everyone is in the same boat and trying to make friends so everyone will be open to chatting.
Hope this helps! Faye 🙂
Reply 10
It's great that you've reach out! It is completely understandable to feel nervous or feel worried about making friends at university, but don't worry, there are a lot of different ways you can make friends.
1.
Talk to your flatmates- You'll all be in the same situation, so if you are moving into student accommodation, make sure to start up conversations and get to know them.
2.
Join Clubs and Societies- This is how most people make friends at university. Find a club or society that you're interested in, and you should be able to make some friends with people who have the same hobbies and interests as you.
3.
Talk to the people on your course- Suggest going for a drink or a meal after a lecture to get to know the people you are studying with. You all have a shared interest in the course you are studying, so there is already stuff you can talk about.
4.
Join Group Chats- There are loads of group chats for new students, so if you are able to, try and join them so you can start to talk to some other students.
5.
Attend Freshers Events- Here is where you will meet all the new students like yourself, talk to them, socialise and get to know them at Freshers' events.
Good luck in the future.
From Josh
LJMU Official Student Rep
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- University with friends?
- University Advise
- University Advise
- Social Life
- Making friends at uni
- Best Ways to make friends at University!
- Making friends at uni
- uni chats feel chaotic
- University Advise
- No friend at uni almost near the end of first year
- How to make friends at University
- University: Navigating The Social World
- Making friends at university
- University life
- Friends
- How do I make friends in uni?
- do you meet people other than in your course at uni?
- Accommodations
- uni life
- Too old for friends ?
