By Rachel Measures, BA (Hons) Media, 3rd Year
This weekend you move to Sheffield to begin your course at Hallam. You have no idea what to expect and are probably feeling nervous excitement. At least I was three years ago!
Here’s a few tips to help you get the most out of your first few weeks at uni, and to make friends:
1.Turn up to your lectures and seminars
It helps if you do this throughout the year for obvious reasons, but at the very start of your course everyone will be at their most willing to make friends, make conversation and get to know you. Take the time to get to know the people that you’ll be spending your days in uni with – get to know people that are into the same things you are to the point that they’re spending £9,000 a year to do it!
When I was preparing to come to uni, I was added into a chat with other BA Media students, and became friends with a girl, having broken the ice with a few jokes on the group chat. We met up on the first day so that we had an ally in the scary task of finding university buildings and meeting other people. Three years later, we’ve been best friends the whole time, even lived together and now, in a year’s time, I’m going to her wedding! It’s crazy but it can be that easy to make lifelong friendships.
2. Make time to get to know your housemates
The most nerve-wracking part of moving away from home (especially the part when your parents drive off without you) is that you’re now living with a few random strangers that you have to share a kitchen, or even a bathroom with. Take the time to get to know these people – they’re likely to be your first friends you make at uni, and you might end up going to your first few freshers’ events with them, so it helps if you break the ice quickly. Unlike me who learnt my 3rd flatmate’s name from it being written on the milk in the fridge.
3. Attend the societies fair, and attend society meetings
The next best place to meet people is at a society. When I wandered around the societies fair in my first year, I spotted SHSU Harmonies and as a fan of singing, I signed up immediately, along with a range of other societies. Harmonies’ first meeting was a week later, and I turned up not knowing anyone- we did a few icebreakers and it was fun. But it wasn’t until the second week that I realised I was there to stay! I walked from my halls and saw someone at a crossing that I recognised from the week before. I tapped her on the shoulder and asked if we could walk together. That girl is still one of my closest friends 3 years on, and my friendship with her gave me the confidence to keep on going to meetings and to make more friends.
Enjoy your first week at Hallam, and remember everyone is in the same boat. Get involved as much as you can and you will soon make friends!
