Making friends as an international student

As an international student, coming to university and making friends can seem like a daunting task. When I made the decision to leave the community I grew up in and move across the world to England, I was terrified that I would not be able to make friends in this new environment. Fortunately, this fear was entirely irrational, and I have come to have many friends here in Leeds and feel as much a member of the community here as I did back home.

University is full of chances to meet new people; from the day you arrive onwards. For me, the freshers’ fair and international welcome week are two of the best chances to get to know people early on in your university experience. During international welcome week, there are all sorts of chances to meet new people, whether that is the speed friending activities, the global buddies programme, or going on planned outings with other international students.

I admit that I had my reservations about going to events with a bunch of people I did not know and making friends there. There was no need to feel this way. The welcoming environment of being around other international students who are all there to meet new people and have new experiences makes it one of the best ways to make new friends. Everyone there is looking to meet new people, they are all looking for a sense of community, and everyone being there together is giving everyone the opportunity to find those things. 

Although the environment was comfortable, I was still worried about what I should say at the time. It turns out that everybody has a story they want to tell. If you have nothing you want to say about yourself, it is so much easier to ask other students questions about their lives, and at least nine times out of ten, they will be more than willing to share their stories with you. Once you have started a conversation and you grow comfortable talking with the other person, you are ready to make a new friend.

Outside of Global Village organised events, there are many, many other great opportunities to make friends. As I said earlier, the freshers' fair is a great option. At the freshers’ fair, you get the opportunity to look at the many societies offered here at Leeds Beckett, and signing up for a society has, for me, been one of the best ways to make friends. There are societies for all sorts of interests, from history, rock climbing, playing video games, making films, and so on — as well as all of the sports societies. Societies give you a chance to find people with similar interests to you, and gives you opportunities to spend time with them and bond over these interests. 

Being in a society gives you chances throughout the year to spend time with other people, which is great considering making friends is not always an immediate experience, and it may take time and multiple interactions. Going to a society meeting, whether it is weekly, biweekly, monthly, or bimonthly allows you to spend an extended period of time with these people and grow closer to them as you continue going.

The most important place, in my opinion, to make friends, and likely the primary place you will do it, is through the people on your course. These are the people that you are going to be seeing all the time, throughout your university experience, so you might as well befriend them. I know that my life here would be nothing like what it is if I had not started out with the mindset of wanting to befriend the people around me. Depending on your course, there may be many or few people in your cohort, but much like with societies, these are people that share a common interest with you, so you have somewhere to start when you decide to reach out to them. I strongly urge you to befriend the people on your course, and grow close to some of them so you can have somebody to talk to when you need to, so you have somebody to spend time with when you are doing course work, someone to sit by in lectures, and all the other things you may need a friend for.

I know that it can be daunting trying to find friends, especially when you have moved countries, but people want to have friends, and as long as you are prepared to put in the effort, you will definitely find people to be friends with. Reach out to people, and ask about their lives, their interests, whatever it may be to get a conversation started and to begin a journey of getting to know one another.

Making friends in England might be different from how you made friends back home. For me, the idea of going to pubs to talk was outlandish and bizarre, but in the end, it was one of the ways I came to meet many of my closest friends whom I still have to this day. Be willing to try new things, go to new places, and speak to new people, because all of these things are some of the best ways to make friends as an international student.