For Samantha Burgos, this year’s International Students’ Liberation Officer, the first thing to remember is that finding your feet takes time, as cliché as it sounds. When she moved from Ecuador to Newcastle, she had to adjust to a completely different environment and way of life, so if you’re a couple of weeks into university and still waiting to feel like you belong, don’t judge your entire experience by how things feel at the beginning.
“Building a new sense of home doesn’t happen overnight,” Samantha says. “Give yourself time and keep showing up to things, even when it feels uncomfortable.”
That may mean going along to a society where you don’t know anyone, accepting a study date invitation from someone on your course or simply getting to know one of your flatmates a little better. You don’t have to walk away with a new best friend every time; even having a familiar face to chat to or grab a coffee with can make a new place feel much less daunting.
"While new experiences such as university may be isolating or overwhelming never forget that word; opportunity."
Sports clubs can be another great way to build those connections, and as Sports Officer Jack Bond states, “Whether you have done a specific sport your whole life, want to try something new or even just want a social space to make connections and decompress from university life… your opportunity is waiting for you. While new experiences such as university may be isolating or overwhelming never forget that word; opportunity. You don't know where your closest friends, a new passion or your favourite memories might come from.”
Beyond campus, The Newcastle Girls Club is one place where women can take that first step. With regular social events, from walks and craft workshops to karaoke and book clubs, it gives women new to the area a chance to meet people in a less awkward setting. They explain that it is “totally normal to feel homesick, especially when you’re trying to find your way around a new city or meet new people,” encouraging women to “just say yes! Go do the thing, even if you don’t know anyone yet, even if it feels a bit scary.”
For men, Men’s Pie Club offers a slightly different way to build connections. Despite the name, it’s not really about the pies; the food simply gives men a reason to get together, creating a relaxed space to meet, chat and build friendships. There are now 40 clubs, including one at Newcastle University. As the organisers say, “People need a community around them to feel settled and engaged in their environment.”
"If you’re missing home, don’t feel like you have to leave that part of yourself behind to settle into university."
Of course, feeling at home isn’t only about making new connections. If you’re missing home, don’t feel like you have to leave that part of yourself behind to settle into university. Call your family, cook a meal you’d normally have at home, keep up with the traditions you enjoy or find people who share your interests and background.
For Samantha, maintaining that connection to home was particularly important. “Coming from Ecuador, there are moments when simply hearing Spanish, sharing our food or laughing about something another Latin American understands can make Newcastle suddenly feel a little closer to home.”
Building a new life in Newcastle doesn’t have to mean leaving your old one behind; sometimes, bringing a little bit of home with you can make the transition feel much easier. So, if Newcastle doesn’t yet feel like home, don’t assume that means you’ve made the wrong decision. Be patient with yourself, take that leap outside of your comfort zone and remember that you don’t need to find your people overnight. Most of the time, all it takes is one conversation, one society or one person to begin making a new city feel a little more like home.