A message to the Leeds freshers finding uni hard

We’re constantly told uni will be the best years of our lives.

No parents, making lifelong friends, going out every night! It sounds perfect… until you’re walking to your 9am in the pouring rain, you’ve done a £40 food shop and somehow still have no food left, and the only social interaction you’ve had all week was asking someone in your lecture what page you’re on.

The good news is: you’re not alone. Nobody’s posting on Instagram about crying over their 20th attempt at connecting to Eduroam, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

It’s okay to not have found your people yet

Your flatmates might not be your soulmates, but the good news is there are thousands of students in Leeds, all looking for friends. And while it might feel like everyone else has already found their people, there really is no deadline for finding yours.

If you’re struggling to find people with similar interests, your course mates are a pretty good place to start. You’ve all chosen to spend at least three years studying the same subject, so you’ve got at least one thing in common already!

Making the first move can feel awkward, but someone’s got to do it. Ask someone from your seminar if they fancy grabbing a coffee, or see if anyone wants to get lunch after a lecture.

And if you never speak again? So what! I’ve got countless people on Instagram who I met in first year and haven’t seen since. At least you tried, and you never know who you might end up clicking with.

Overwhelmed by your course? You’re not alone

If you’re struggling with your course or have absolutely no idea what’s going on in a lecture, don’t panic – there is support available.

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Your lecturers are a good place to start. They’re basically just big nerds who love talking about their subject, so don’t be afraid to ask them questions (that’s literally what they’re there for).

Your personal tutor is another good person to speak to if you’re not sure where to turn.

And don’t forget your course mates! If you’re confused about something, there’s a pretty good chance someone else is, too. You’re all in this together, so there’s no shame in asking for help.

Social media isn’t real 

And finally, stop comparing your uni experience to everyone else’s. It’s easy to feel like you’re doing something wrong when your Instagram feed is full of nights out and massive friendship groups, while your Friday night consists of pyjamas and whatever’s left in your kitchen cupboard.

But social media is a highlight reel, not a realistic representation of everyday life. You don’t have to be out every night or have your entire life figured out by October to be making the most of uni.

The main thing to remember is that you don’t have to put so much pressure on yourself.

You don’t need to find your best friends in Freshers’ Week, love every lecture or have a plan for every weekend. Sometimes it takes a while to settle in, and that’s completely fine.

You’re all figuring it out as you go, even if some people are better at pretending otherwise. So go to your lectures, try something new, ask someone to grab a coffee, and give yourself a break.

You’ve got time – and you’ve still got three years to figure out how to connect to Eduroam.

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