Top tips for making friends at university

University provides the perfect opportunity to make memories and forge life-long friendships, but sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start on making those connections.

Anshika Anshika, President of the Union of Students at the University of Derby, explains how you can ease this pressure by following a few tips and tricks, which start before you even arrive.

Be open

It is essential to be open to making new friends, and university is the perfect opportunity to diversify your friendships.

When people walk through the doors at the University of Derby, they immediately feel a strong sense of community, a place where everyone belongs. So, the best advice is to dive straight in and get involved with an open mind. The chances are that many people will also be feeling unsure about settling in and meeting new people, so know that you aren’t alone.

If you are living in Halls or private accommodation, packing board games or cards is a nice way to get everyone involved and act as an initial icebreaker.

Don’t be afraid to ask

Approaching new people and asking them to hang out with you can feel like you are putting yourself in an unusual position, but that is okay, everyone will be doing the same and feeling similar emotions.

Find comfort in the fact that everyone is in the same boat, so why not make that first move by asking people if they want to grab a drink, go for lunch, sign up for a club together or go shopping?

Say yes

Similarly, make sure you say yes to things. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, as you never know where a fun memory will be made or where you will make new friends.

At the University of Derby, one of the advantages of halls is our exclusive Residence Life programme, designed to help you test out new hobbies, make friends and settle into your new surroundings. You can choose to get involved in free activities including sports tournaments, quiz nights, cookery classes or go on low-price day trips to visit popular UK cities.

If your flatmates are arranging a pub visit or a cinema trip, try to get involved and throw in a few suggestions as to what you could do next.

Commuting

Commuting to university has become a popular choice among students as it offers the chance to experience all that higher education has to offer whilst continuing to enjoy all the comforts of home.

Our fantastic transport links and central location means you’ll never have to miss out on any aspect of student life, and you’ll have the same opportunities to take part in sporting and social activities as those living in our halls of residence.

Be yourself

Often people will go to university looking for a fresh start, to reinvent themselves, but it is so important to be yourself. In doing so, you will attract like-minded friends and build meaningful connections.

All year round, the Union of Students host a varied line-up of activities and events, including during Freshers’ Week. Whether you are looking to try something completely new or continue a beloved hobby, there is no better way to meet amazing, like-minded people and make the most of your time here.

A great place to start is to join a society. At the University of Derby, for example, we have over 70 sports clubs and societies to choose from, so there is certainly something for everyone.

Most of the sports clubs offer a chance to compete in BUCS (British Universities and Colleges) events. If you aren’t the competitive type, we also offer the opportunity to play socially.

Union societies form a big part of your university life. Run by students, for students, they provide the perfect opportunity to continue a much-loved hobby or test out a new one. There is a wide range of societies to choose from including ballroom and Latin dance, debate, musical theatre, and Warhammer. The best thing about societies is that the possibilities are endless.