How to Make New Friends at University

Making Friends at University Without friends, I am not sure I would have finished my university. My wonderful peers supported me during difficult times, helped me understand some of the more difficult concepts in my field of study and, more importantly, filled my university routine with fun and joy. Nevertheless, in the race for getting good grades for your essays and reports, getting enough sleep, the regular commute and learning how to rely on one’s own, taking the time to make new friends can be challenging. But don’t despair! The below tips should help you to meet great people and have fun while doing so. Use Social Media Online communication is one of the blessings of the Internet era. Approaching people for the first time is a major obstacle, particularly if you’re feeling shy (which is perfectly understandable). My personal experience suggests that even before the studies start, people in specific courses or study groups start forming groups on Facebook or WhatsApp to get to know each other. Try to be on the lookout for these. Once you find them, simply introduce yourself and weigh in when your peers start discussing topics you’re familiar with. You could also discuss upcoming assignments or challenges such as properly referencing your works. Look for Familiar Faces Being in a new environment is a major stressor, especially if you’ve moved to a new city or country. It could be useful to reduce the gap between your home and the university. When feeling comfortable, try to get to know the students who come from a similar background to yours. This could include studying at the same school, living at the same town or city or sharing your cultural values. This should give you plenty of material to bond over and partner to take on group assignments such as presentations. Use Your Free Time Wisely At the start of the year, there is often some time before the actual lectures and seminars start at the campus. This could be an ideal opportunity to participate in group meet-ups. Student unions or similar organisations could be particularly useful as these often organise introductory events during the first two weeks of university. Even if you are not a freshman, it still makes sense to visit those to help the new students, give advice on how to write essays or proposals, or simply meet people outside of your usual social circle. When following these tips, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Being a student can be difficult, but you can also meet awesome friends by being yourself and keeping a positive attitude.