Best Activities to get to Know your uni Friends

Moving to a new place for university is frightening for almost everybody. You’re leaving your family, your best friends and all things familiar behind in favour of going out there and starting your ‘future’. Naturally this comes with all kinds of challenges; learning to live by yourself, being responsible with money and, the most daunting, making new friends. You can have this all in the best student accommodation Leeds. 

Everyone is in the same boat 

The first thing to keep in mind is that everyone is a little bit nervous and insecure, and everyone wants to make new friends. It is also worth keeping in mind that this is a good thing – for the first time in your adult life you are being forced to make new friends, and these people have no premonitions about who you are. 

Friends from school are great, but they have known you since you were at least 11 years old, they have seen you transition into the person you are now and they know so much about you already. Making friends as an adult, rather than a school kid, means you can be whoever you want to be. This helps you learn a lot about yourself as a person, as well as meaning you can find a group of friends much more suited to who you are now, opposed to the kind of child you were when you met your school mates. 

Remove embarrasing photos from social media 

Before you go to uni, it’s worth going through your social media accounts. Sift through your pics and get rid of anything you don’t want people to see, because Facebook is likely going to be the first point of contact for you and your phones-instead-of-hands course mates. 

Most universities have a Fresher’s Facebook page. Get in contact with people beforehand, just a friendly ‘is anybody living at…’ or ‘who is studying…’ post on the wall will get the attention of the people you’ll be living with or who are on your course. Try to arrange a meet up of your course mates before uni lectures start over fresher’s week, at the SU bar or a local pub or coffee shop. Seeing a few friendly faces on your first day will help you to feel more at ease. 

Socialize in style 

Upon arrival the first people you meet are likely to be your housemates. Let people know you have arrived by propping your door open whilst you unpack to encourage people to come and say hello. If you are the first person to arrive, offer to help new housemates bring their stuff into the house. 

Make sure you buy some tea or coffee and a few snacks, and offer them around to encourage housemates to gather around in communal areas and chat. Even if you don’t have much in common with the people you live with, these are the people you are going to be living with for the next year and you will see a lot of them so it’s nice to get on with each other. 

Do things as a flat or house ‘family’, like movie nights or all chipping in to make a nice meal together (a great way to save a little money). Usually you will move into your accommodation a week before lectures start, so look up your Student Union website and find some interesting events or clubs to try. 

The Fresher’s Fair should be a definite to attend. Remember, university is the chance to develop into the person you want to be. So go to the events that you really want to try, even if there isn’t anyone for you go with yet. Going to events alone is the perfect opportunity to make new friends. 

If you’re interested in going to the knitting club or the curry society (yes, real thing at Leicester University) then go, even if you think it doesn’t sound stereotypically ‘cool’, chances are you’ll meet some awesome like minded people who will make great friends. And remember, if you don’t like it then you don’t have to go back! 

Generally by just being open and friendly, you will find it easy to make friends. Everyone is nervous, so by being the person who says ‘hello’ and starting conversations you will quickly make friends. Take extra pens along to classes, in case the person next to you forgets theirs. 

Ask course mates if they want to grab a coffee after class, or swap numbers so you can meet up at a later social event you’re both attending, like a club night or a society meet-up. Be available to hang out and try not to hide your room binge-watching Netflix all the time rather than going out and being sociable.