Written by:
Taylor West, Japanese Studies, Trinity Hall Welfare Officer
Posted:
19 Aug 2024
The key to making friends is putting yourself out there. University may be the first time you get to meet people who are passionate about similar things. You may not find the right people in the first few weeks (if anything, you’d be lucky to), but continue to go to social events, University societies or even shared spaces like the kitchen. You will not find your future best friends if you lock yourself in your bedroom.
Many people experience homesickness or struggle to settle into living independently. It’s important to establish a routine early on. Brush your teeth, wash your face, eat some fruit, go for a walk in a green space, try to get enough sleep; doing the basics every single day can have an enormous impact on your mental health and wellbeing. These things are obvious and simple now, but trying to balance living alone with socialising and University-level work can make everything seem chaotic and disorientating.
Making time to call your family can also feel impossible in the whirlwind that is your first term, but this can have a hugely positive impact on your mental health (unless of course you’re going to University to get as far away from them as possible). As long as you keep up the basics, organise your time and put yourself out there, University will be a brilliant place to grow as a person and meet the people who could become your friends for life.
