Of course – uni is such an exciting time in your life, a time when you’ll make your “forever friends”, get rather jolly and eat far too much pizza. But beyond the lolz, the empty bottles of fizzy pop on the windowsill and the Two for Tuesdays, student life can be a lonely place.
So, here I am - a graduate with 5 years of student experience - to give you some tried and tested methods to sustain a happy, lively and active lifestyle.
1. First Round On Me?
Something that no self-respecting student is ever going to decline is a free drink. Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder…. Or something like that. I got to my third year and found myself moving in with a house of strangers. Thankfully, I had the chance to meet a couple of them beforehand, and we got on really well. But even so, there were still so many nerves. Naturally, we went out to explore the local scenery pretty quickly. “Alright guys, who wants a cheeky lemonade on me?” is a line that will win you friends fast.
2. Open House!
I actually learned this one from a podcast: Leave your bedroom door open.
If you’re lucky enough to have one of those doors that will stay open on its own, then that’s
a great start. If not, consider investing in a doorstop. From a psychological point of view, this indicates that you’re open to conversation. Your housemates will probably still knock, out of politeness, but you’ll come across as social, fun and chatty if you’re an open book. The only downside is that I’m afraid you’ll have to bin that old peanut butter sandwich that’s been on your desk for months. But it will also encourage you to keep your room tidy, and that’s never a bad thing.
3. Sign Up Time!
This works on a number of levels, including that it keeps you busy, it helps you to meet like-minded people, and it also gives you new skills. There are all sorts of clubs at Uni! Whether you’re sporty, you love playing chess, want to try your hand at comedy, or simply just want to do something new. There are tonnes of friendly, welcoming clubs at university and it will mean that you won’t have to spend so much time scrolling through the channels and deciding whether to watch Corrie or EastEnders.
4. Study Buddy!
The thing about university is that the majority of people aren’t moving halfway across the country (or even the world) just to have fun for three years. Of course, the occasional evening in town is a part of student life, but if you’ve applied for uni in the first place then it is likely that you are there to follow your chosen career path. Already made a friend in class? Why not brave up and ask for their number, or their social media channels, and then you can invite them over to work on your first assignment, or to revise for an upcoming exam. Having a study buddy is a great bonding experience because you’re in the same boat from day one.
5. Movie night!
Got a Netflix account? Perfect. Again, like I said earlier – being an open book is a great way to approach uni. Your housemates will appreciate any chance to put off their assignment for a few hours, so offering to put a movie on once or twice a week is a great way to have a house bonding session. Although, make sure you log out of anything important while your laptop is at other people's mercy!
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