How to Make Friends at University: Tips for First Years

How to Make Friends at University can feel daunting, especially if you’re moving to a new city or campus without knowing anyone. Whether you’re living in residence, attending orientation week, or starting your first lecture, there are simple steps you can take to meet people, form connections, and build lasting friendships.

For some of you however that may not be the case you might find yourself going to a university that none of your friends have chosen, maybe it’s in a different province or maybe even a completely different country. So, you need to make new friends. Here are a few tips and tricks on where to start and what to do. 

Moving into res

Most people move into res the weekend before O-week. This is the perfect time to make new friends. You can meet many new people who are also embarking on their university journey. Leave your room door open while you are setting up so you can say hi to people walking past and get to know your neighbours a little bit.  

If you have a roommate, then that can be the first friend you make. The night after moving in, it’s a good idea to get to know each other. Not only do you get the opportunity to form a friendship, but you can also lay down the ground rules for the room and gain a slight understanding about how compatible you are with each other. 

O-week

O-week is the ideal opportunity to make friends. This is the time of year where everyone is new, excited and looking to make friends. In addition to academic introductions and information sessions, o-week has a plethora of  social events as well. Do your very best to participate in those that interest you so you can meet new people that you have something in common with.  

Initiate conversations & Take initiative

We can’t all be the introvert who get adopted by an extrovert. Someone must make the first move so why not you? On the first day of class, introduce yourself to the people sitting next to you and get to chatting. Who know maybe by the end of the class you keep the conversation going.   

If you didn’t quite get on with the people you sat next to then there is nothing stopping, you form sitting in a different seat in the next lecture. Remember, this is university there is no assigned seating you can sit wherever you want. You can sit in a different seat for every lecture of the semester and get to know everyone in the class. 

If you connect with someone, then invite them to grab coffee with you after class. There are endless options, you can invite them to study together, join a study group or to go with you to a campus event. There Is no reason that your friendship should be limited to the lecture hall. 

Be open-minded

University is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, experiences and traditions. There are so many people who have lived such different lives. This is an opportunity to learn about the world through the experiences of someone else.  

If you meet someone and you think that they have an interesting background, then make sure to ask them some questions while getting to know them. Take an interest in what they have to say and share your own stories in return.  

Meeting people of different background is even better in res, because there you can do fun stuff like taking turns to cook traditional meals for each other. Not only will this alleviate some homesickness, but you get to try something new.  

Make use of your resources and figure how to make friends at university

 Making friends does not have to wait for classes to start. This us the digital age and social media is at our fingertips 24/7. Check online, and you might find a Facebook group or reddit page for your class, res, degree or university in general. Engage on these social media platforms to get know some people before you even arrive. If all goes well, then you’ll have another thing to look forward to when classes start which is meeting your new friends for the first time.  

Explore the local area

There is no rule that states that all your friends need to be from you class or attend at the same campus. Explore the area around your res and campus and you might find other opportunities to make friends. From book clubs, to hiking trails, get a part-time job, local gyms to the local golf course there are many ways to meet new people and make new friends.

Think about getting a job or a volunteering gig. Not only will this pad your wallet with a little extra cash, but you will spend a lot of time with you colleagues and at least one of them is bound to become your friend. Plus, bonus points that it will look good on your CV. 

Read More: How To Get Ahead When Writing A Research Paper in University

Organise events  

You aren’t obligated to be a party animal or anything, but it is a good idea to organise time to spend with your friends. Grabbing a coffee and chatting or going to the movies or going to a pub to watch a game. Pick whatever it is that suits you fancy and invite people to join you. You’d be surprised how many people would jump at the opportunity. University is stressful so many people are happy to do something that will give them a break from the books. 

Don’t fear rejections

You might find that you are a bit shy about making friends because you fear rejection. But it’s a perfectly normal part of the process. You won’t get along with everyone and everyone has the right to protect their peace. Someone might not like you and that okay. Similarly, if you find that one of the people who you consider a friend has values that don’t align with your and you want to pull away, you have every right to do so, and you should do so without any shame. 

Final thoughts on How To Make Friends at University 

Making friends in university might seem like a daunting task but it is not too difficult. Like you everyone else wants to make friends as well. It all starts with a simple hello and from there the cards will seemingly fall into place.

Just remember that while it is good to be independent and to protect your peace you do not want to be isolated. Interaction with people is a good thing and having a support network of friends is an important part of your university experience