University is daunting. A new city, new lecturers, new lifestyle, and perhaps one of the scariest parts – new friends.
As an introvert, I was terrified that I would get to university and not be able to find ‘my people’. How wrong I was.
It sounds incredibly cliché, but university is absolutely the place to be yourself. I had never felt more relaxed, able to dress how I liked and able to talk about what I liked. SO, rule number one for finding ‘your people’ at university:
Don’t try to be anyone other than yourself
If you be yourself, you will thrive at university.
Before Uni – Freshers Social Media
Let’s backtrack a little bit. Making connections with your housemates and your cohort before starting university can be really difficult. Take advantage of any and all Freshers social media pages, groups and accounts. If you can walk onto campus on your first day and spot one familiar face in your dorm or classroom, you’ve done something right.
Leave your door open
At least for the first few days, this seems like a no-brainer. A doorstop is in almost every ‘essentials’ packing list on the internet. Having a strong network back at base is your number one support when the harder parts of university come knocking.
Cook!
If, like me, you didn’t leave home for uni, offer to cook for your new friends who did. For newly independent uni students, the offer of a meal cooked by someone else is like gold dust. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it’s a way of introducing yourself to new people while also giving something back.
Go to Freshers Events
Whether it’s an ABBA night at the local nightclub or a play put on by the uni’s drama group, you don’t have to go wild, but you do have to go.
Go to classes
If you have the blended learning option, go to your physical classes. It sounds ridiculous to even say it, but by going to your classes, you immediately have something in common with the person sat next to you.
The wildcard?
Wear something that relates to your hobbies. A fandom backpack, a band t-shirt, some kooky earrings. It’s usually a winner – was for me!
