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One university attendee spent most of his orientation week scrolling through online platforms, viewing updates about peers enjoying evenings out.

"I was just in bed," Robert recalls, describing the week as the loneliest time of his life.

His housemates seldom socialized, and his course didn't feel very sociable.

Despite putting himself out there by attending trial events for multiple organizations, he didn't discover people he connected with.

"I started to lose my self-esteem," he says. "I felt like people didn't want to become my friends, or they weren't fond of me."

Online Network Judgments

Initially, Robert didn't plan of attending college and received employment offers for post-secondary education.

However he saw his friends enjoying themselves as college students online.

"When you need to wake up for work on Thursday at nine in the morning and you see someone's been out on Wednesday night, you begin believing the grass is greener," Robert mentions.

College Anticipations

TV shows and social media can romanticize the concept of college existence.

Numerous students arrive at college with strong assumptions for what they imagine could be the greatest period of their lives.

Various learners come to university with "idealistic views," explains a support services coordinator.

Study Outcomes

• According to research of new students initially, the main anxiety was belonging and feeling included
• Further studies conducted by analysts, nearly one-fifth of attendees said they had no friends at university
• 37% said they worried daily or weekly about building relationships

Personal Journeys

Alisha Miah's TikTok feed was full of videos of peers socializing while cohabitating in university housing.

Yet when Alisha moved from her previous location to campus to pursue media studies, she found initial days "daunting" because of how much alcohol it involved.

Alisha doesn't drink and had avoided party scenes before.

"I actually passed considerable time initially in my room," she says. "I simply experienced somewhat isolated."

Emotional Wellbeing Factors

In a 2025 survey of over ten thousand university attendees, 29% said they contemplated withdrawing from studies.

The main cause was emotional state, accompanied by monetary worries.

"Worry regarding all of these different things is massively common, and expected," explains a counselling expert.

Identifying Resolutions

With time, the students all found their feet and formed relationships.

She built connections through her course and via social media, while Christina felt happier after being able to move in with friends.

Helpful Recommendations

Regarding his experience, now 24 and in his concluding studies, it was participating in theater activities and getting a part-time job that helped him make friends.

His recommendation to first-year students finding social interaction difficult is to just "get out of your room" and go to club and society taster events.

"Following several weeks of continuous participation, people recognise your face," he explains, "you recognise theirs, and friendships begin forming."