How to Make Friends for Dummies
The anxiety that comes with being a fresher at university is not something that people typically talk about. After all, you’ve got to have that picture-perfect uni life with the cool and hip friends you were promised by all the movies and TV shows, right? But trust me, making friends in university can be hard. Moving to a new country and being away from your friends and family is already difficult. Add to that entering a whole new level of education where you’re expected to balance being more independent than ever with gaining work experience and you’ve got a hell of a ride waiting for you .
Now, on top of all that, you have to explain 18 years worth of your lore to complete strangers? How do you even begin with such a Herculean task? What if they don’t get it? Well don’t fret, we’re here to help you navigate the social aspect of university life!
Flatmates or foe?
Your flatmates will probably be the first people you meet at university so be sure to be nice to them, especially because you’ll most likely have to spend your first year living with them anyway. Most flats will try to do group activities together for the first week or two so I’d definitely suggest going out with them here or there!
That being said, not all flatmate tales are fairy tales unfortunately and you may not get along all too well. Even so, make sure you’re at the very least a good flatmate and don’t be the flatmate that gets constant reminders to do the bins in the group chat (objectively the worst flatmate).
Join societies!
There’s 4 types of societies you can join:
Cultural ones
Hobby/interest based ones (e.g. Taylor Swift society)
Academic ones (i.e. the ones tailored for your degree although these are usually for bigger degrees)
And of course, who can forget: Warwick Asean Conference!
Realistically, you probably won’t actually be committing to all the societies you signed up for during Freshers Week but I do recommend at least regularly showing up to a few to meet people! Don’t feel deterred to go if you’re going alone, you’ll soon realize that there will be tons of other freshers (and maybe even second/third years) just like you who are trying to make new friends too. You’re all in the same boat, so don’t feel overwhelmed!
WAC will open up their associate recruitment sometime in October and we highly recommend signing up! It’s a great way to be more involved in WAC and to connect more with the organizing committee :) you also pick up valuable transferable skills along the way.
WAC Family
If we haven’t advertised it enough, definitely sign up for a WAC family! It’s a great way to meet seniors and other freshers who are dying to make some new friends too :)
To club or not to club?
The age old question.I was surprised to find out that tons of people haven't clubbed at all before university or just only recently started. I was equally surprised to find out that not many people enjoy clubbing as much as they make themselves out to be. As for me, I didn’t think I’d enjoy clubbing that much but I actually grew to like it so I think if you’re unsure of what it’s like, definitely at least give it a shot.
Clubbing definitely gives you many stories to tell and you meet lots of amazing people that might just become your best friends. Since there also aren't that many clubs around (welcome to Coventry!) and
because some weekdays are reserved for specific clubs (e.g. Kasbah Monday), you end up seeing the same faces every time you go. A lot of people tend to enjoy pres (pre-drinking before going to a club) over the actual club; pres is a nice environment, often with your closest friends, where you can just get together, have a quick chat, play games and drink alcohol.
Whether you’re an avid clubber or would rather have a cosy night in with friends, don’t be too quick to assume people’s personalities based on their nightlife or lack thereof. There’s tons of cool people I met who I’d probably have to pay for them to even step foot in a club and also a bunch of people I’ll probably never talk to again that go clubbing regularly; people are multi-faceted, be sure not to have a preconceived notion of what they’re like.
Honestly, clubbing is definitely not for everyone and there’ll be tons of people who don’t want to go out either so don’t feel like you have to do something you’re not comfortable with. And definitely make sure you stay safe!
Volunteer/work
Warwick has tons of opportunities for you to get involved in university life, whether that be through volunteering or signing up as a student ambassador! Both opportunities are not only great for your CV but also great for making friends with people who are interested in the same things as you.
During Fresher’s Week, the various volunteering programs available with Warwick Volunteers will have stands set up so you can check out all the programs and what they involve. It’s a great way to find out exactly what kind of volunteering you want to do (eg. nature conservation, supporting the arts, teaching, etc.) and what they involve in terms of responsibilities. It’s also a great way to meet people who are
passionate about the same issues you are from different countries and courses, and very fulfilling to do once you see how much of a difference you can make helping others. Plus, it looks great on your CV!
I don’t think all faculties have student ambassadors but if yours does, I highly recommend signing up! I signed up for my faculty’s student ambassador program and have made good friends from my course that I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise (and the pay is good…but obviously it’s all about the friends you make along the way).
Lastly, remember that all other freshers are in the same boat as you. Everyone’s scared of reaching out and wants to make new friends so don’t think that everyone hates you or you’re not making friends quickly enough (although I get that that’s easier said than done). If someone as lame as me can make friends from writing articles on Southeast Asian politics, then I’m sure you can too.
To end off this article, because we, the PR team of WAC, want you freshers to have as much fun at Warwick as possible, we’ll each give you one tip that’s helped us make friends during our first year!
Lyn (Public Relations coordinator): something I did that others called me a bit insane for doing was arranging weekly meet ups with people I wanted to maintain friendships with and give each person a designated event or day of the week. For example, I would always go to the food trucks every Wednesday with A and go to B’s house every weekend to catch up. University life is hectic so blocking out time to socialize is always a great way to destress (and an additional bonus, you make the other person feel special for having a designated day for them).
Milan (Marketing Head): I personally met all of my best friends during society events. I went to a lot of societies for all kinds of events and met many wonderful people, and as I saw the same faces every week at every event, we just naturally bonded. Considering people mostly go to societies that they’re interested in, it's almost a guarantee that the people you meet there will at least have some common interests with you. Another thing I would recommend is the family system. I signed up for the family system for two societies, one of them I hang out with basically every day and the other one I am also good friends with. I would suggest going out of your comfort zone every once in a while. From my experience, the best memories are formed that way.
Isabella (Publications Head): It might sound counterproductive, but I found that not being impatient and trying to make best friends right away helped me find friends I truly connected with. Don’t be afraid to make friends you don’t naturally meet up with in your course or your societies; if you make the effort to keep up, then friendships can be made everywhere. Also, I’d say one of the best ways to make lifelong friendships is to make sure you and your friend(s) have the same values. So don’t feel limited by your course or circumstances when making friends, and always say yes to invitations out at the beginning. I made my best friends on a one-off, spur of the moment hangout and I can’t imagine my life without them now. Life is full of fated meetings, so don’t be afraid to take them when the opportunity presents itself!
Ultimately, university life is what you make out of it. The more effort you put into it, the more you get back. Also if you don’t get the Instagram perfect friend group by the end of Welcome Week, don’t feel like the trajectory of your social life at uni is ruined forever. It’s only one week and there’s 39 more to go.
