Not having the time of your life at college? You are not the only one.
A student named Robert spent most of his first week at university scrolling through digital networks, reading posts about peers enjoying evenings out.
"I remained in my room," Robert explains, describing the week as the most isolated period of his life.
The people he lived with rarely went out, and his course didn't feel especially friendly.
Despite putting himself out there by going to taster sessions for multiple organizations, he didn't discover his people.
"I started to lose my self-esteem," he says. "I felt like people didn't want to form friendships with me, or they weren't fond of me."
Social Media Comparisons
Initially, Robert wasn't considering of going to university and received employment offers for following college.
However he watched his acquaintances living it up as college students online.
"When you've got to get up for work on Thursday at the morning hour and you observe peers partied on the previous evening, you do start thinking others have it better," Robert says.
College Anticipations
Media content and online platforms can glorify the idea of student life.
Many individuals begin university with great anticipations for what they believe could be the best years of their lives.
Various learners arrive at college with "rose-tinted glasses," notes a mental health professional.
Study Outcomes
- In a poll of new students initially, the main anxiety was finding their place and feeling included
- Additional research conducted by analysts, 17% of students said they had no friends at university
- A substantial portion mentioned they worried daily or weekly about building relationships
Individual Stories
Another student's social media content was full of videos of students enjoying themselves while cohabitating in student houses.
But when she relocated from her hometown to university to study journalism, she found orientation period "intense" because of how much alcohol it involved.
She avoids drinking and had avoided party scenes before.
"I did spend a lot of freshers' week in my room," she says. "I merely sensed slightly disconnected."
Mental Health Considerations
In a 2025 survey of more than 10,000 undergraduate students, a significant portion mentioned they contemplated dropping out.
The main cause was emotional state, accompanied by monetary worries.
"Concern over these various aspects is massively common, and typical," notes a counselling expert.
Identifying Resolutions
With time, all three individuals all found their feet and formed relationships.
She built connections via her studies and through TikTok, while the individual experienced improvement when she could to share accommodation with peers.
Practical Advice
Regarding his experience, currently in his mid-twenties and in his last year, it was engaging in performance groups and employment during studies that assisted in relationship building.
Robert's advice to first-year students experiencing connection challenges is to simply leave your accommodation and attend organization sample activities.
"Subsequent to periods of consistently showing up, people recognise your face," he explains, "you notice their presence, and you start making friends."
