Making friends at Uni before you GO!

Going to university for the first time is incredibly exciting but as the days tick away and the big step draws ever closer it’s natural to start feeling nervous.

For many students, securing a place at university this September will also mean moving away from home, leaving behind family and friends.

The prospect of making new friends is one of the greatest sources of anticipation and trepidation for many young people in this position in the weeks before they first arrive at university. As much as new beginnings are exciting, being surrounded by people you don’t know in an unfamiliar place can be daunting for even the most adventurous sorts. At risk of resorting to cliché, the crucial thing to remember is that everyone will be in the same boat.

Whichever university you’ve chosen to go to there will be a range of activities scheduled during freshers’ week that will help you meet people – but you don’t have to wait until then.

Some universities have schemes in place designed to help you make friends before you even arrive, like the University of Lincoln, which matches new undergraduates with other like-minded students through its Friends for Life scheme.

The specially-created app links to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and connects students applying for undergraduate courses to other potential uni mates by matching their interests in topics such as music, sport, film, or clubs and societies.

Signing up to the scheme is easy and once you’re registered you’ll start to receive targeted email newsletters directing you to closed Facebook groups and other social media activities that you might be interested in.

Striking up a conversation with someone you don’t know can be tricky, but these groups and activities do much of the hard work for you. They help break the ice, introducing you to like-minded people and getting you chatting.

That first week at university won’t seem quite as big a step into the unknown with a few Facebook friends already in your phone – even if you haven’t met in person yet.

For many students, the friends they make at university are among the best they ever make. Some will stay in touch for the rest of their lives. So make the most of whatever schemes, events and activities your chosen university has on offer.