🔗 Share this article Failing to find a fantastic time at university? You're not alone. A pair of university attendees share their experiences of college living. One university attendee passed the majority of his first week at university looking at social media, reading posts about fellow students partying. "I was just in bed," Robert explains, depicting those days as the most solitary phase of his life. The people he lived with didn't go out much, and his course didn't feel particularly social. Although he tried by attending trial events for multiple organizations, he was unable to locate like-minded individuals. "I began losing my self-esteem," he says. "I felt like individuals didn't desire to become my friends, or they didn't appreciate me." Social Media Comparisons Originally, Robert wasn't considering of attending college and received employment offers for post-secondary education. Yet he saw his friends enjoying themselves as students on Instagram. "When you need to wake up for work on Thursday at the morning hour and you observe peers partied on Wednesday night, you start feeling others have it better," Robert mentions. College Anticipations TV shows and online platforms can idealize the notion of student life. Numerous students come to university with strong assumptions for what they imagine could be the best years of their lives. Certain attendees come to university with "idealistic views," explains a counselling manager. Survey Findings In a poll of first-year attendees early on, the main anxiety was fitting in and finding acceptance Additional research through polling organizations, 17% of students said they lacked friendships at university Over one-third reported they worried daily or weekly about building relationships Personal Journeys A different attendee's TikTok feed was full of videos of girls having fun while cohabitating in student houses. But when she transferred from her previous location to campus to study journalism, she found orientation period "intense" because of the substance involvement it involved. She avoids drinking and had avoided party scenes before. "I did spend a lot of freshers' week inside my accommodation," she says. "I simply experienced somewhat isolated." Mental Health Considerations Through current studies of over ten thousand university attendees, a significant portion mentioned they thought about dropping out. The main cause was psychological wellbeing, accompanied by financial concerns. "Worry regarding these various aspects is massively common, and expected," explains a counselling expert. Identifying Resolutions Over periods, the students eventually adapted and built connections. Alisha made friends during classes and via social media, while Christina felt happier once she was able to move in with friends. Useful Suggestions In his case, currently in his mid-twenties and in his concluding studies, it was engaging in performance groups and employment during studies that helped him make friends. The suggested approach to first-year students finding social interaction difficult is to just "get out of your room" and go to club and society taster events. "After a few weeks of consistently showing up, people recognise your face," Robert says, "you recognise theirs, and friendships begin forming."