8 Ways to Make Friends During Your First Month At University | [Updated 2022]

Time is ticking and the start of your new university life is right around the corner…how’re you feeling? We can probably hazard a guess that you’re feeling a full range of emotions, from excited to nervous, or possibly even apprehensive! And guess what? They’re all normal!

It’s never as easy as you expect, there’s going to be bumps in the road and making sure you’re prepared for these is supper important!

One of the most important things we value is making friends at university. Especially if you’re moving away from home, you’re deffo going to need a support system around you to help you get through the next couple of months. 

Most people also find that the friends they make at uni are the ones they have for life! So if you need any hints or tips, keep on reading to find out our top 8 ways to make friends during your first month at university!

1. Make Friends With Your Flatmates

If you’re living in one of our shared student accommodations then making friends at university with your flatmates is such an easy route to go down!

Depending on which UK student accommodation you end up choosing, this will decide how many people you’re living with.

The first few weeks will be the most daunting, but you’ll be with your flatmates for the majority of the days ahead and will bond sooner than you think!

All we suggest is that you make an effort to socialise in your communal areas such as your living and dining rooms. Rather than sitting in your room, you can spend these precious hours getting to know your new flatmates and finding connections with them.

You can make plans to explore your uni city together, go shopping, hit up a bar, or go out for food. Within the first few days, it may all seem daunting but your flatmates are in the same boat.

These are the people you’re going to be living with for a year so try and make friends with them, chances are you’ll meet some great people in your flat! 

Oh, btw this is not just for cluster flat accommodation students! If you’re living in a studio apartment, you too can socialise with your neighbours. 

You’re more than likely going to find some friends by going round and knocking on doors, trust us, what have you got to lose?!

2. Make Plans In Freshers Week

Now, this is a week you’ll make memories that last a lifetime!

Freshers Week is organised by all universities across the UK to get you settled in and ready for the year ahead. 

It’s a fantastic way to come out of your comfort zone and make other friends outside of your accommodation. 

It’s usually held within the first week of uni and consists of events and nights out around your uni. 

You’ll have the freshers fair, a way for you to discover new interests and sign up for new experiences. Oh, and also, if you like freebies such as pens, bottles and stress balls – you won’t want to miss this!

There are loads of other freshers events, such as themed night outs in your local nightclubs and quizzes in your student’s union. 

It’s up to you which ones you choose to go to, but if you’re looking to make friends at university, then deffo try to make them all (especially the ones that interest you the most)!

If you want to find out more about freshers week 2022 and why you should get involved, we have just the blog for you here.

3. Join Societies

University societies are a fantastic way of making besties for years to come, mostly because you’ll have the same interests and hobbies. 

Societies are operated solely by the students and offer a range of activities for you to get involved in. 

There’s tons of societies for you to join, depending on which university you’re attending there will be different ones such as Photography societies, Music societies, Sports societies to Food societies! 

Not only will you make friends for life, but you’ll also build a range of skills such as leadership and communication, all of which can be put on your CV for future job applications – what a buzz!

It’s a way to get you out of your student accommodation and socialise with others who you might not have met before. You may go on society nights-out, for meals or attend events as a collective. 

When joining a society, they will most likely have group chats for you to get involved in, so don’t wait around and make yourself known to people! 

4. Use Social Media

Possibly one of the easiest ways of making friends at university before you even move into your accommodation is by using social-media!

If moving to university is a daunting feeling, definitely head online and start using group chats to seek out some new friends.

One of the most popular ways of this will be through Facebook groups and pages!

Once you’ve accepted your accommodation, you’re more than likely going to be added to online groups and private groups for your university or uni city.

You can socialise with others who’re not only apart of the same community as you but who may be in the same block as you or even the same flat as you, by messaging people and sparking conversations to find who you’re most suited to. 

It’s a brilliant way to ease any tensions before moving away from home and, in all honesty, will make you supper excited to pack up and leave!

But wait…have you ever heard of Bumble for BFFs? If not, then get to know!

For uni especially, this is going to be a brilliant way for you to meet new friends whilst living in another city.

It’s a dating app, but you’re not searching for love, you’re searching for people with similar interests who could be your potential besties…how cool is that?! 

5. Speak To People On Your Course

One of the easiest ways to make friends during uni is definitely through your degree course!

You’ll probs find that your tutors will split you into groups to complete tasks and assignments together and they’ll probably do some icebreakers so that you can meet your course-mates. This is a great opportunity for you to open up and socialise. 

If you’re feeling nervous, just remember you’re all in the same boat, so create some small talk and hopefully, you will be the one bringing others out of their shell!

Once you’re in your lectures and seminars, sitting next to new people you don’t know is a great way to find new friends. Don’t be shy, just say hi! (if there’s any excuse for a rhyme then we’re going to use it…apologies in advance).

Another great way to make pals with your course-mates is to ask them if they want to grab some food or drinks together during the break

You can even suggest creating a course group chat online and organise a time for you all to get together outside of class. You may even find that people on your course live in your accommodation!

6. Go On Nights Out

If you’re interested in going out and experiencing the student nightlife within your uni city or town, then making mates out here is something you should deffo think about.

You can ask your flatmates if they’re up for a night out, whether its going to a student club night during freshers week or just heading to the pub and seeing where the night takes you.

You’re more than likely going to gain some Dutch courage from any sip of alcohol, so use it to your advantage and create conversations with people you want to build friendships with!

Other students will be desperate to interact with others, especially considering its the first year and you probably won’t know that many people.

We suggest heading to your favourite club or bar and speaking to others who have a similar taste in music to you. 

7. Make The Most Of Communal Spaces

Your student accommodation will most likely have a common room or social space for you to relax and socialise with others. 

With our luxury student accommodation we offer a wide range of events hosted by individual properties for you to get involved in.  As well as having modern communal spaces like games rooms where you can get competitive in a game and  TVs for you to have a movie night with others within your building.

Every property is different, but we’re sure they’ll be somewhere for you to socialise and make friends within your student living space!

For our studio apartment lovers out there, making the most of these open areas will allow you to meet new people outside of your private room.

During your first month, you can get involved and make friends, meet other students on the same course as you and build your friendship groups. 

 

8. Don’t Be Afraid

Lastly, it may sound cliché but being afraid won’t get you very far when it comes to making new friends at university. 

Everyone you meet is in the same boat as you, so it’s the perfect opportunity to talk with others and express your interest in getting to know them.

We know its scary, you’ve moved to a new place with new people and its unfamiliar. But, just remember that you’re not alone in the way you’re feeling, chances are so many other people are feeling the same as you!

Try to build up your confidence and talk to everyone and anyone that you meet during your first month, it can be tempting to hide out in your room but try your best to put yourself out there.

Step out of your comfort zone and say yes to any plans that you get invited to even if its not normally what you’re into. You’ll probably find that you really enjoyed yourself!

Making friends at uni may seem hard, but if you follow all the steps above, we’re sure you’re going to have a huge bunch of mates by the end of your first month. You’re going to have a ball – we promise!

If you’re looking for ways to decorate your student room to make it super cosy and homely, then check out our blog here. You’ll have the ultimate uni room in no time!