Moving to university is perhaps one of the scariest journeys any 18-19-year-old will take during their lifetime. Thrust suddenly from the comfort and security that is home, your suddenly put into the oddest of scenarios where your living with perfect strangers in an equally foreign city. Every one of your brain cells is screaming to go home, to go back to what you know, and as soon as your family and friends shut that door and make their way home without you, it all becomes suddenly real. Suddenly you’re the adult now. And that is a one hell of a feeling, I can promise you.
That said, it’s not all bad! Once you have got over the initial shock of leaving home, things do begin to get better. You’ll still feel homesick, but that’s something that’ll become easier as time goes on- the best thing you can do is keep yourself busy, and don’t let yourself sit alone in your room with just thoughts for company. Get out and talk to people- at university being nosy is unfortunately the best policy! Knock on neighbouring doors, get chatting to flatmates if they’ve moved in already- just get yourself out there! Although I know it’s easier said than done, as a sufferer of terrible anxiety I say that if I can do it, so can you!
One great way I discovered to get myself meeting people was by simply messaging a group chat my accommodation team had put together for people living in my building. All I put out there was that I wanted to meet some of my flatmates, and that I’d love to explore the place we were living within with a fellow roommate. Surprise surprise I got a response- there will be hundreds of people just like you, looking to find a familiar face, and when you find them, there are so many places you can go to get to know each other. If your living in a city, see if there are local attractions or museums to visit- even if its just a stroll round a gorgeous park it’ll give you a place to meet that has plenty of things to chat about, which hopefully will lead to you becoming fast friends.
Finally (and I think most importantly) have fun and be proud of yourself- not just anyone gets into university and that you got this far is an amazing achievement which deserves a huge pat on the back! Your going to be scared out of your mind, have more fun than you’ve experienced in your whole life, and eventually, make some of the strongest friends who will no doubt stay with you for the rest of your life. Good luck, and remember:
‘You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.’
A.A Milne
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