A guide for incoming students
Illustration by Sona Eidnani.
When we were young, having friends didn’t mean a whole lot. Those were people you played tag with, but as we get older, those connections come to mean a lot more. They become more than just our friends; they become the foundations of our support network –– almost like family members.
They’re the people we lean on when we need help getting through our complicated lives. Our friendships can also help us understand our strengths and weaknesses as individuals, and play a significant role in shaping who we are.
University can be a transitional period, where students are far away from the friends and support networks they grew up with. Connecting with people in the same stage of life enhances the university experience and can help students cope with living away from home. The tricky part of university friendships is making them. Here are three helpful tips that will make you new friends in a jiffy.
Talk to people
While it may seem obvious, this is often the most uncomfortable part of making friends. If this makes you nervous, however, you should remember that you are all in the same boat. To make meaningful connections on campus, you must get out and talk to people. Talking to classmates is an easy, low-stress way to get the conversation flowing. Assignments, course content, or how far behind on readings you both are all low-stress topics to introduce yourself to someone new with.
You could also go catch a movie at Cinecenta –– or a play at Phoenix Theatre –– and have a chat with the person sitting beside you about what you just watched. There are lots of ways to befriend your fellow students and sometimes the simplest way is just talking to people –– it goes a long way.
Go to pub nights
One of the best ways you could make friends on campus is by dropping by the campus pub, Felicita’s. This pub is not only a great place to meet people, but they also have fun event nights for everyone to enjoy. Impress some future buddies with your extensive knowledge at trivia, or show off your beautiful shower-singing voice at karaoke nights.
Also, check out the bands that occasionally play live at Felicita’s; it’s a great chance to show off your groove and meet people with similar taste in music.
Join the club
Another way to make friends on campus is to join a club or course union. UVic has so many great clubs for people in all departments, from writing to blackjack dealing. Most majors also have course unions you can join to meet people in the same program as you.
All of these clubs are filled with people in the same position you are. Just make sure you don’t sign up for more than you can manage on top of a busy course load!
