By Lauren, fourth-year Politics student from Scotland

When coming to university, one of the main things I was worried about was making friends, connecting with other people, and how to keep those relationships. Moving from a small town in Scotland to Edinburgh really posed a challenge, as I felt overwhelmed by the number of different people all in the same place but luckily, I’ve been able to find some amazing people. 

ResLife events  

A good starting place for making friends is ResLife events. If you’re staying in university-managed student accommodation, the ResLife Team are the Resident Advisors in your building, who will host events throughout the year to help you meet people in your accommodation. You can also try to make friends with your flatmates through dinners or activities, or by speaking to people in your accommodation through the ResLife Student group chats.   

Learn more about the ResLife Team

Welcome Week events

If you’re not living in student accommodation – no worries! Another amazing way to make friends is through Welcome Week society or sports events, as they allow you to meet people with the same interests as you. Many groups host meet and greets, taster sessions, or picnics in the Meadows, which can help you get to know the society a bit more as well as meet new people. I’ve met some of my best friends through these events while also finding new activities that interest me. One of the best ways to find these types of events is through the University of Edinburgh events app, which can help you find, book and schedule events, and find other people attending them on the Interact feature!

Download the University of Edinburgh Events app

Societies and Sports events  

After Welcome Week, you can attend society or sports events throughout the year. Some societies also host collaborative events, which can help you meet people you may not have spoken to otherwise. One of my top tips for attending society events is don’t be afraid to go to them alone. While it can feel scary to attend an event by yourself, this can help you move out of your comfort zone and meet new people. Worst case scenario: you want to leave, and you can without worrying about anyone else!

Course mates  

After Welcome Week is over, one of the best ways to make friends is by speaking to your course mates or people in your tutorial groups. While you can use the course content as a great conversation starter, you may find that your other interests or hobbies extend beyond your degree. As most lectures and tutorials happen in the morning or afternoon, why not invite a few of your course mates for coffee afterwards?  

Global Buddies  

Another great way to make friends is by joining Global Buddies, which is a free EUSA (Edinburgh University Students’ Association) initiative that matches incoming international and returning students to buddy groups, led by other students. These groups host a range of events and activities throughout the year and collaborate with others to form supergroups. 

Get involved with Global Buddies

Sober friends  

Throughout my first year at university, I didn’t drink and was worried about trying to make friends. I kept thinking, “Would everyone at university be constantly drinking? Would everyone keep asking me why I wasn’t drinking?”. The truth is, I was able to find some of my best friends by not drinking at social events, as fellow non-drinkers seem to gravitate towards each other. I would often go to pub socials or nights out and test out the best mocktails with my friends while taking in our favourite music!

Maintaining friends

So, you’ve found some friends! Now comes the difficult part – staying connected. Maintaining friendships can be difficult as different people communicate in different ways and through different platforms. Some of my friends, even now, I only see a couple of times a semester, but the key to keeping up with friendships is to stay connected, in whatever way suits you best. 

Messaging your friends is a great first step, whether that’s by sending them daily updates, voice notes or images to keep them in the loop of what you’re up to. If you have a group of friends who all know each other, a great way to keep up conversations is through group chats. These may seem like simple ways to communicate, but they go a long way.  

Another way to keep up with friends is by having weekly or daily library trips with your friends to study. I know an amazing group of friends in my year who go to the library every day, bring a packed lunch, and have regular coffee breaks and catch-ups in between study sessions. Similarly, reaching out to friends for weekly or monthly coffee catchups is a great way to keep each other updated on your life (and you can get a sweet treat to go along with the sweet company 😎).

If you want to take your friendship-making to the next level and love pop culture, why not host themed nights with your friends? One of my friends hosts a weekly ‘Great British Bake Off’ night where they bake an item themed to the show and invite friends round to watch it together.  

Another idea could be where you take it in turns to choose a theme and everyone must bring a food or drink item related to that topic. I’ve just been to a ‘dessert’ themed birthday party where everyone had to bring a sweet treat!   

Regardless of the way that you make friends or communicate, the Edinburgh community is really welcoming and offers a great place to meet new people from all around the globe.