Making friends at university can seem like an overwhelming and pressured task. Suddenly you are in this huge pool of people and the expectation is that you will find your “friends for life”. Whilst the first few weeks of university can be especially full-on, it is also a perfect opportunity to meet a huge range of people and make lasting, important connections that will ease you into the university experience. However, it doesn’t always seem that easy, so here are five top tips on making friends at university:
Freshers week
You can expect a plethora of friend-making opportunities from freshers week, from activities to fairs to society tasters, as well as night-outs or even nights-in. Activities will depend on your university’s traditions and location, there may be themed parties or even kayaking. Regardless, everyone is welcome whether you’re in private accommodation or university run halls. Aim to introduce yourself a lot but remember there is no rush to find your best friend on the first day! If nights out are your thing, then perfect, but despite the common conception being that Freshers’ is just 7 nights-out followed by the infamous freshers’ flu, you don’t have to go out every night. There will always be night-in options, such as movie nights and pizza!
Accommodation
Flatmates will probably form your first friendships at university. You will be living with them for a year, so it’s important to choose accommodation that suits your needs! Bed Student Rentals provides accommodation near Chester University, which may become the best place to form lasting friendships. Much of our shared accommodation has a spacious communal living space with a TV that university halls may not provide and, of course, a shared kitchen. Shared spaces are where you can introduce yourself, hang out and organise activities together. You could all want to watch a movie, cook a meal or have pre-drinks together. We recommend bringing a pack of cards to break the ice and give you all something to do together.
Societies
During freshers week, societies will run taster sessions and also will be present at your university’s ‘Freshers’ Fair’ so you can have a look around to see what your university has to offer. It may be a sport or cultural or academic society; it may be something you’ve done before or something entirely new. Either way, joining a society is a key way to find friends that share the same interests as you, but you may not have had the opportunity to meet through your accommodation or course. We recommend trying out three and committing to at least one (it can be hard to balance your time and work schedule otherwise!) Societies will also form a social aspect of your university experience, since you won’t just be playing hockey once a week, for example, the society will also host night outs (usually on a Wednesday with other societies and usually themed).
Course
Remember that you chose the course you are doing because (hopefully) it really interests you. Therefore, making course mates is a fantastic way to meet people that align with you, your values and interests. This may be simply by saying ‘hi’ to the person you sit by on your first lecture. From there you could organise group study sessions. Course mates are also handy when it comes to cramming for an exam or writing a tricky essay, as they are there to lean on and give you some support!
Online
Nowadays, it can be easy to find friends or potential friends before you even head off to university, through social media, such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Most universities will have Facebook groups, for example, that you can join for your accommodation, societies you might want to join, course and ‘fresher’s week’. It is important not to be scared when sending a message on these chats - everyone is in the same boat and likely is waiting for someone else to make the first move.
So, whether it’s a pub crawl, study group or dinner with your flatmates, the biggest piece of advice to make friends at university is to get out there as much as possible. Don’t limit yourself and don’t feel embarrassed because the great thing is that everyone is in the same position and is likely to be feeling just as nervous as you are! With only a few weeks to go before Freshers 2024, if you’re studying at the University of Chester, be sure to check out our range of accommodation that may interest you either this year or next.
Written by Mark
