Discussing my Freshers' experience: the good and the bad

When choosing to study in a city as lively as Newcastle, freshers' week tends to come with the expectation that those 7 nights will be the best night outs of your life. But what do you do when it turns out to be a week of crying in your room wondering why you haven’t made friends with anyone but your flatmates?

I always knew that moving to University would be a massive change and I never expected it to be easy. As an extrovert who previously had no trouble making new friends and had always enjoyed a night out, the loneliness that I was feeling during freshers' was unbearable. I honestly did not believe that I would make it to October before dropping out. 

Yet, like everyone who has come before me, I stuck it out. I survived those 7 days and eventually it has become easier. I have begun to really enjoy my life in Newcastle since I started my degree, joined societies and got involved with The Courier. 

Therefore, to any other freshers who still have not found their feet - just hold on because they aren’t wrong when they say you just have to put yourself out there! Most of the people I met in freshers' week I haven’t seen or spoken to since. Still, each new interaction made me more confident and comfortable in my environment and made it all a little more bearable.

So, my advice to those who still feel a bit lonely is to just strike up a conversation with anyone because you never know where you’ll find your people!