5 tips to help you make new friends when you start university
Jordan, Senior Property Advisor, provides new students with 5 top tips to help you make friends & increase your social circle...
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.
With university students across Cardiff gearing up to kick-start a new chapter of their lives they are sure to be experiencing plenty of different emotions. If you’re one of them, you may find yourself feeling nervous, excited, apprehensive… you may also be wondering what you can do to make friends and get your social life going.
University life is unlikely to be plain sailing as although you’re sure to experience some great times, there will also be the challenging ones. Deadlines, time away from family and learning how to get by on your budget are all going to push your stress levels to some degree, but one thing that can most certainly help you through university life is friends.
Many students make friends for life during their university years and the support system friends can offer each other cannot be underestimated.
Keep reading for a few tips on what you can do to meet new people and make new friends as you embark on your university journey.
1. Befriend your new student housemates
It has to be the easiest and most obvious route to form some friendships, but your flatmates are going to living within the same vicinity as you for a fair while so you’d may as well find out how well you get on. If you’re in shared accommodation such a student house or flat, this will be simple, but even if you’re in university halls with your own room there are still other students all around you.
Rather than keep yourself locked away in your bedroom, get out into the communal areas and see if your housemates are up for exploring some of the city together, going out for food and drinks, or join the same gym together. You’ll be surprised at just how quickly you can bond with new people.
Read: 5 benefits of shared accommodation at university
2. Consider joining university societies
The great thing about university societies is that you’ll meet plenty of new people who share the same hobbies and interests as you.
Depending on your university, there’s likely to be all kinds of societies available to meet a whole range of different interests. Music, sport, movies, food, photography - whatever things you have an interest in there’s a good chance that other students share those same passions, so explore the societies available, get stuck in with doing something you enjoy and expand your social circle all at the same time.
3. Hit up the local Uni hot spots
There are going to be specific areas and venues that are regular haunts for students so scout them out and see what’s going on. Check out local event listings, gigs at music venues, student nights and any bars or venues that already associated with the university. These places are going to be packed with like-minded students so it’s a great way to meet new people and make friends, especially during freshers week when everyone is getting to know each other for the first time anyway.
Read: Best areas to live in Cardiff for a student
4. Interact with people on your course
Just like your housemates, the students you’re sharing your course with are going to be present in your life no matter what. You’re probably going to find yourself split into groups to perform tasks and assignments together from time to time, so even the most nervous and introvert of students will find themselves coming out of their shell as time goes on. You may find yourself getting on particularly well with certain students on your course so there’s a good chance you’ll see friendships naturally develop as you learn more about each other.
5. Push your boundaries
University is about more than attending classes and gaining a degree. It’s about life experiences, growing and developing as a person, gaining confidence in who you are and creating fantastic memories and life lessons that can serve you well for the rest of your life. You may find it easy to speak to other people you’ve never met before, or you may be incredibly shy and find it difficult to make conversation. No matter which side of the boat you’re on, do things in your own time, but do try to push those boundaries little by little. Even if you start with just saying hello as you pass people you recognise from the university, look to slowly develop that into starting a conversation with a new person once a day and you’ll soon see your confidence increase and your social skills and circle grow.
Read: Be sure to check out our comprehensive student guide
Every year we match students in Cardiff with their perfect student house or flat share so you can put your trust in our team of dedicated student letting experts. To find out more about how CPS Homes can help don’t hesitate to reach out to us by calling 02920 668585, e-mailing enquiries@cpshomes.co.uk or by popping into one of our three Cardiff branches.
The information contained within this article was correct at the date of publishing and is not guaranteed to remain correct in the present day.
