University life is a different experience for everyone. Whether you are starting uni after school or coming back for another degree, we all face the same anxieties at the start. Seeing new faces around you can be exciting for some and nerve-wracking for others, but a chance to make new friends is always helpful. Here are a few ways you can meet new people and get the most out of campus life.
1. Attend Orientation!
Orientation week (or O-Week) is an influential part of your university experience and trust me when I say that you will only get it once. From learning about the student clubs available to free food, giant games and pool parties, O-Week has so much to offer. But most importantly, it’s a chance for you to meet like-minded people. It can also be the first activity that you do with your new friends and classmates. See for yourself by watching the video below.
2. Join the Griffith Mates!
Griffith Mates is a large, diverse group of Australian and international students, who help you navigate your way through university life. They offer regular activities and events, which are designed to help new students settle into life in Australia and help students get the most out of their Australian university experience.
3. Learn something new
Whether it is about budgeting or learning Australian slang, attending workshops are a beneficial way of learning something new and meeting new people. You also get to meet people who might have the same career aspirations as you or are experiencing something similar to you. The Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild host a number of fun activities and events throughout the year. The University also offers an extensive range of free workshops across all campuses to expose you to activities designed to help you improve your employability.
4. Attend your classes
As cliché as it may sound, attending classes is the best way to make friends. Wonder why? Well, who better to understand your stresses than the people sailing in the same boat as you! Most of you might feel like a bunch of misfits in the beginning but let me remind you how all the great journeys start with people like us.
5. Immerse yourself in on-campus events
Griffith University has tons of opportunities for you to connect with your peers and lecturers. Joining a social club, for instance, can not only help you blow off steam but it can also connect you with people sharing the same hobbies. There’s also plenty of other events always happening on campus, including cultural feasts, market stalls and buskers, sporting events, day trips, and free food stalls. Find out what’s on at Griffith here.
These are just a few of the many ways you can meet new friends. After all, when you look back and reminisce about your university days, it is not only the studies that you will remember but the people who were a part of this journey with you.
