So, you’ve just moved to Birmingham. Amazing! But the unfortunate side effect of moving away from home into a new home, in a new city, might be that you don’t have many friends nearby yet.
So, you’ve just moved to Birmingham. Amazing! But the unfortunate side effect of moving away from home into a new home, in a new city, might be that you don’t have many friends nearby yet. For some people, it’s an exciting opportunity to meet new people, and learn new things – but for others it can be daunting, and that’s okay.
Nearly everybody who has just started at university – whether undergraduate first-year, or a postgraduate who has just moved here – is in the same boat. And that’s the first thing to remember.
Go to Welcome Events
Welcome is jam-packed with events for UoB students to attend – and chances are everyone is trying to find some new friends.
Go to events that you find exciting (take a look at the Guild Events page), have a look for societies that you find interesting (you can try going to the Societies Fair, or looking at the Guild Student Groups page), see what mixer events your School or College may be hosting.
Strike up a Conversation
Walking up to people and starting up a conversation may feel like it’s going to be awkward, but it won’t be. Everyone else in the room is either doing the same thing or trying to work out how to. If you start a conversation with someone new, that might be exactly what that person needed to encourage them to do the same.
If you’ve chosen to go to a Welcome event alone, you already have something in common with the person you’re chatting to – you both chose the event. Talk about that, talk about interests and hobbies, what courses you both do, which accommodations you both live in – you’re sure to find something else you have in common with them. Before you know it, you will have found yourself a new friend.
So, What’s the Main Takeaway Here?
Almost everyone wants to meet new people and make new friends when they start at a new uni – and nobody is going to have a problem with you striking up a conversation. That’s what Welcome is for! Even if you’re not feeling confident, or you’re feeling anxious, all it takes is one conversation with one person and you’ll be a social butterfly before you know it!
And of course, if you’re still struggling to meet new people after that, then you’re more than welcome to reach out for some peer-to-peer wellbeing support in your accommodation! We’re always happy to help and offer advice. Each accommodation hosts events and the Wellbeing Assistants will be happy to help you figure out which ones you can go to – or help you work out other ways to find yourself some new friends.
You can find them at their office in Shackleton on the Vale between 4pm & 8pm, Monday-Friday, or you can email us at residencelife@guild.bham.ac.uk.
Written by Residence Life Assistant, Josh