Many students travel to University in a strange new part of the country, not knowing anyone or knowing a handful of people, this can be extremely daunting to even the most confident individual. A lot of students worry they will not meet people or make friends with their housemates, course mates or in general. We at www.padsforstudents.co.uk want to settle these nerves as you settle into your new student accommodation, so we have a few recommendations in how to get to know and meet people in the first year of University to calm those fears and let you enjoy University life.

Some ideas you may want to try out:

Alcohol:

We are not promoting drinking, but it is a fact that drinking with some new people particularly in Freshers' Week will earn you some new friends. Scientifically, it has been proved to remove inhibitions which can help if you are usually quite shy. This is the mainstay of most students in getting to know people. However as you likely already know it has its dangers and to make sure you know that we aren’t promoting drinking and if you do, drink responsibly. Some friendships have been built on embarrassing and unfortunate situations while under the influence but sometimes these things and take the opposite route leaving your name tarnished and your hear in the toilet-you have been warned.

Cooking:

Whether you’ve made enough pasta to feed the whole of Italy on your first attempt or baked a cake from a box to pass the time, you will later learn that students will not refuse free food. So if you’re adequate in with a spatula and saucepan (those are pieces of cooking equipment, right?), use it to your advantage and entice the flat into the kitchen and pounce (not physically) into getting everyone talking.

Going out:

Although this is commonly synonymous with alcohol, specifically clubbing, this is not the case. There are many people who go out to these highly alcohol driven activities and do not drink so much as a shandy. Even if you have never been out clubbing before join in give it a go, talk (if you can over the music) to people. And while you’re not a babysitter, keeping an eye on anyone who may be a little worse-for-wear can turn you into their personal hero, until they forget in the morning.

Leaving your door open:

As we’ve mentioned before, only do this when you are in. Firstly as it is a fire risk and secondly some opportunistic person might take something. So while you are relaxing or working leave your door open and talk to any interested passers-by and make some new friends, accommodation for students are almost designed for this, especially if you live on a corridor. Similarly you could loiter in the common room and make contact there. During the first few weeks these activities will not be uncommon, and very easy to do with very little effort.

Attend House Parties/Dorm Parties:

During Freshers’ Week there will be plenty of these going on in student accommodation, go with some housemates.  Generally during Freshers’ week they are open door affairs anyway as they are trying to meet new people themselves. Try to have fun.  If there doesn’t seem to be any happening, talk to your housemates and throw one yourself inviting people from nearby dorms to join you-get to know them! There are plenty of people in the place who you could strike it off with. However, keep in mind that it is your place so will be liable for any damage.

Tutorial Groups/Course Mates:

Tutorial groups are particularly good as you’ll already have a common interest with them for studying the same thing, you’ll spend a lot of time with them in your first year. Why not organise something with them,  even if it’s just a coffee after class?

Societies:

There will be a Freshers’ Fair, go to it. Many second and third year students go as well, mainly to get all the goodies they can, but for you it will be a time to sign up to everything. It’s a great way to extend your circles of friends, especially in some of the more niche activities; we’re looking at you Mario Kart and Harry Potter Appreciation Societies!

Social Media:

There are normally plenty of social media websites that will have groups dedicated to students or freshers of a particular University, so take advantage of them. You can likely do this before going to University as many people are looking for flatmates and course mates as soon as they get information, so join in have some friends before University starts. Use social media when at University to keep in touch with everyone and get more and more friends throughout your time there. It’s also a handy resource to find out about upcoming events!

Part-Time Work:

Not only can part-time work be a great way to boost your student loan, it will provide opportunities to talk to new people like colleagues and customers. Money is good, but working means less time to socialise and takes the focus of why you’re there in the first place, to study.

Most importantly be brave and remember, strangers are just friends you haven’t made yet...in most cases.