Is it possible to stay with no friends at uni? Many claim that attending college will be among the best experiences of your life since you’ll make friends for life or maybe find a potential life mate there. Unfortunately, not everyone experiences this.
Coming to university can be intimidating because everything is new: the surroundings, the city, the country, and the people. But it’s crucial to remember that, regardless of your age, making friends at uni is necessary since people were not designed to live in isolation.
It can be easy to isolate yourself at university which makes it even more difficult to communicate with those around you.
But there is much more to it than that because creating friends at uni is an active activity. In this article, we will give you a solution on how to deal with having no friends at uni.
Table of contents
- No Friends At Uni
- #1. Join a Student Organization
- #2. Talk to Your Classmates to Make Friends at Uni
- #3. Talk to Your Roommates
- #4. Consider How You Previously Made Acquaintances
- #5. Just Be Yourself to Able to Relate With Friends at Uni
- #6. Say Yes to Friend Request
- #7. Join a Facebook Group or Another Social Media Community
- #8. Fill out a Campus Employment Application
- #9. Participate in Voluntary Work s
- #10. Utilize The University Website to Make Friends at Uni
- No Friends at Uni Second Year
- International Student No Friends
- Frequently Asked Questions About No Friends At Uni
- References
- Recommendations
No Friends At Uni
Below are ten ways to deal with having no friends at university:
#1. Join a Student Organization
You may join societies at any university, which is one of the finest methods to meet new people because doing so gives you the chance to mingle while having fun.
The Harry Potter Society and the Tea Society are just a few of the societies that may be found at your university, which you can view by visiting the website of your student union.
Why not sign up for a few arbitrary taster sessions and see which ones you like before joining a society? Most societies provide taster sessions that you can attend before joining.
It would be a terrific opportunity to get to know each other and have some fun at the same time to invite your flatmates or a few coursemates.
Once you’ve identified a society that interests you, decide to commit to attending it once a week. Before you realize it, society will transform into a small family where you’ll hang out outside society’s events.
Seeing these people frequently will help you get to know them better because you will have more in common with them because you are both members of the same society. This is one of the finest strategies to build a strong and lasting friendship group.
If you can’t find a society that interests you, most colleges also provide you the option to start your own.
By doing this, you might find other students at your school with similar interests.
#2. Talk to Your Classmates to Make Friends at Uni
This advice should be clear, and I’ve found that many friendship groups formed at university are made of people enrolled in the same course.
In my opinion, having friends on your course is essential. They can support you when things get difficult and are frequently the biggest motivators and encouragers because they know what you’re going through.
Additionally, if you’re to attend a lecture, a fellow student may be able to fill you in on the material. Even if you don’t want to attend a lecture, they might drag you there nonetheless!
Academically and socially, the transition from A-Levels to university can also be challenging. Specially if you are the only member of your sixth form or college to attend a university where you don’t know anyone.
Others appear to have a tight-knit friendship group from week one since they arrive at university with their sixth-form/college mates. It can be simpler for you to talk to the lonesome individuals you frequently notice in the area in this situation.
Most likely, you and the other students in your course share the same interests.
Another strategy to meet new people every day is to always ask to sit alongside people in lectures and make an effort to sit next to a different person each time.
You might ask a classmate about the lecture and their plans for the rest of the week during breaks or even after a lecture.
Another option is to form a study group with some of the classmates you’ve met so that you can socialize and learn at the same time.
See More: Can a Non-Student Live in Student Housing in the UK?
#3. Talk to Your Roommates
You often live in residence halls alongside other university students throughout your first year, which is a terrific way to meet new people.
However, it’s simple to get into the trap of staying in your room and only coming into contact with your roommates when you occasionally leave to use the kitchen.
Even then, you can be so hurried in the kitchen that you miss the opportunity to get to know your roommates.
Why wouldn’t you want to get to know your roommates for the upcoming year?
Everyone tries to call their friends and family frequently when living in university housing, especially during the first few weeks (homesickness is real), which is expected.
However, how would you have time to make new friends if you were focusing your time and energy on your old friends?
Nobody is urging you to forget your old friends, but you should understand that a new stage of your life could call for different behaviors from you, such as making new acquaintances.
Spend more time in the common areas of your house, such as the kitchen or even the room, where you are sure to meet people.
Ask one of your flatmates about their weekend plans the next time you’re in the kitchen, or see if they’d want to go to class with you sometime. To further get to know your flatmates, you may even take the initiative to plan a flat outing together.
#4. Consider How You Previously Made Acquaintances
Perhaps consider how you met your present pals. You could even ask them if they can recall how you met them. This may seem like an odd suggestion but try it.
Sometimes it seems like we forget that, unlike some others may believe, we didn’t truly meet the friends we now have; rather, we had to make them.
You may have made friends with someone in the past as a result of frequently running into them. For instance, if you were in the same class and saw each other every day, you might have decided to say “hi” or ask a question one day.
Or perhaps a friend introduced you, and from that point, you started talking frequently, discovered that you shared interests, and the rest, as they say, is history!
It ought to function again if it has previously worked, right? However, know that you might need to modify your approach by stepping outside of your comfort zone and being willing to actively engage with people, especially those you meet because there will already be a level of familiarity.
Because how else are you going to make friends if you don’t put yourself out there?
#5. Just Be Yourself to Able to Relate With Friends at Uni
It’s simple to act differently when you meet new individuals to win their favor. Being true to who you are rather than trying to pass as someone you’re not is much simpler.
It can be intimidating to interact with a wide variety of people from various social groups and cultural backgrounds that you will encounter at university.
Without even realizing it, you can grow to like someone’s characteristics and gradually begin to copy them; before you realize it, you won’t be able to identify yourself anymore! Aim to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who help you feel at ease.
Everyone has probably heard of the term “mid-life crisis,” but attending university can also cause some form of identity crisis as you start to doubt who you are and the kind of person you want to be.
You should see college as a place where you may dream, try new things, and discover more about who you are—your likes, dislikes, strengths, flaws, and even untapped abilities.
You will naturally get along with and draw toward others who share your interests and values if you are just yourself. Since it’s so simple to tell when someone is lying now, you wouldn’t want to put your integrity at risk merely to win someone over.
Read Related Post: Can You Go to Uni Without Any A-Levels? How to Get Into University Easily
#6. Say Yes to Friend Request
Just say yes when you are asked out, and you try to rationalize not going in your thoughts. Say yes as long as you are certain that you are not jeopardizing your morality. The worst that might occur is what?
Don’t be afraid to stretch yourself, and make new friends in uni.
You should constantly be open to meeting new people, even after you’ve met a group of individuals with whom you may feel content. This is because it’s crucial to have a range of relationships.
You may form friendship groups for many reasons: some may be the friends you study with, others may be the people you party with, and still, others may be the friends you stay up late with to talk about the wackiest topics.
Some of your pals might even cross over and participate in all these activities with you—these are the ideal buddies!
Since there is less intimidation and fear when interacting online, it can be simpler than speaking with someone in person.
Joining a Freshers Facebook Group, a group for your dorm, or a group for your subject can allow you to meet people and introduce yourself.
This a terrific method to meet people who live nearby but you may have never even met; you’d be surprised at how many students ‘hide’ at university, making it impossible to get to know them.
Additionally, there will be Facebook groups for organizations and occasions sponsored by your university, all of which are geared toward networking. You could make new acquaintances by joining these groups and getting to know other eager students.
There are organizations like Save the Student that offer support and advice to university students and give them the chance to enter contests and win prizes.
You can participate in these activities with new online pals you’ve made at your university. You might even meet people who attend adjacent or other institutions and become friends.
#8. Fill out a Campus Employment Application
Why not make some money while making new friends at uni?
There should be businesses that hire students on every university campus, including eateries and retail outlets.
Since your employer is more likely to be understanding and lenient during test season when you can’t work as many shifts, working within the university community is simpler than working for an outside company.
Working on campus allows you to establish ties with your coworkers and meet new people all the time. Particularly in a customer-facing position, you’ll get to know repeat customers who will also recognize your face.
#9. Participate in Voluntary Works
Who would want to say no to a helpful hand? There are chances to volunteer both inside your university and the larger community.
You can locate volunteer opportunities on the website of your student union. For instance, you could volunteer to assist with any projects your university might be undertaking in collaboration with nearby schools, or you could work in a charity shop or nursing home. This can help you make friends at uni.
Asking a roommate or classmate to join you when you locate volunteer opportunities is an option, but be ready in case they decline because some people don’t like “working” for free!
You might have to go alone in this situation, but make sure your heart is open, and you are prepared to help and serve in any way you can.
I believe that volunteering, freely giving up their time, and dedicating themselves to a cause they may feel strongly about require a particular kind of person.
You might meet people doing this who have very different interests from your own, but you’ll be able to learn a lot from them about motivation and perseverance.
Check this: What Are A-Level Qualifications? Everything You Need To Know About The A-Levels
#10. Utilize The University Website to Make Friends at Uni
Since your mental and emotional well-being is important, all universities offer help for your health and well-being.
No one should suffer alone and in silence, so if you’re having trouble making friends, you might choose to talk to a counselor or advisor about your situation.
Some universities also offer student-led programs that allow you to speak to another student who can listen to you and offer support.
This is especially helpful because you would be speaking to someone who genuinely understands what you’re going through and could offer helpful advice.
Most universities collaborate with the NHS, so extra assistance would be accessible, especially if the problem of not having any friends is seriously affecting your wellness.
If you think any of these services will benefit you, find out who to speak with at your university as soon as you can.
No Friends at Uni Second Year
If you’ve gotten to year two and still have no friends at uni, it is likely to be that you have isolated yourself from others. There are a few things you can do to help yourself.
Take Part in Excursions and Training
Initially, I felt utterly lost when I began my master’s. With only ten students, the course I selected was very small, and appeared everyone had already formed groups.
My lodging provided a variety of events to partake in over the first few weeks, including excursions, movie evenings, and courses. I decided to enroll in a CPR course.
I started chatting with a female I thought looked nice while there, and it turned out that she was also from Germany. We hit it off right away and kept in touch to go out, cook, or just chat.
Make Acquaintances at Work
You can’t stay in college with no friends at uni to connect with, so I decided to find a part-time job during my second semester so I could occasionally leave my desk and make some money.
I was initially a little shy and unsure if I should be close friends with my coworkers.
But with time, we all became closer. Due to our shift schedules, work was a terrific location to meet new people because I had the chance to get to know everyone.
Some of them are still close friends, and I periodically see the others when I return to the city where I attended my first university.
International Student No Friends
It can be challenging to make acquaintances at first, but many overseas students make lifetime friendships and relationships while studying in the US.
One of the most rewarding experiences for overseas students in the USA is learning how to establish friends in college.
See More: Can a Non-Student Live in Student Housing in the UK?
Frequently Asked Questions About No Friends At Uni
Here are some suggestions if you’re struggling to make friends at university because it’s a problem that affects students, and know one talks about it.
You will meet folks in university who will become some of your closest friends. High school pals are nice, but it’s in college and university where you’ll meet people who are similar to you and share your interests and goals.
You should have between two and four close buddies in college. This way, you don’t have too many friends who take your time and energy while having multiple people you can rely on.
No matter how much confidence someone displays, know that you are all in the same situation and anxious about establishing friends at university. While some friendships can grow when you’re a student, it’s crucial not to measure yourself against others around you.
References
thinkstudent.co.uk – How to deal with no friends at uni
unitestudent.com – How to make friends through the years