Not having the time of your life at uni? You're not alone.

Robert Medhurst spent most of his freshers' week looking at online platforms, viewing updates about fellow students partying.

"I stayed indoors," Robert explains, characterizing that period as the most isolated period of his life.

Robert's flatmates rarely went out, and his course didn't feel very sociable.

Although he tried by attending trial events for multiple organizations, he was unable to locate his people.

"I began losing my confidence," he says. "It seemed that people didn't want to be friends with me, or they didn't like me."

Digital Platform Contrasts

At first, Robert wasn't considering of attending college and received employment offers for post-secondary education.

However he saw his friends having great fun as university attendees on social media.

"When you must rise for employment on weekdays at the morning hour and you observe peers partied on Wednesday night, you do start thinking others have it better," Robert explains.

College Anticipations

Media content and digital networks can romanticize the concept of college existence.

Lots of people come to university with strong assumptions for what they think could be the best years of their lives.

Some students arrive at college with "idealistic views," notes a mental health professional.

Study Outcomes

• Through surveys of freshers in their first week, the main anxiety was belonging and finding acceptance
• Further studies conducted by analysts, nearly one-fifth of attendees said they were without companions at university
• A substantial portion mentioned they felt anxious regularly about forming friendships

Personal Experiences

Another student's social media content was populated with clips of students enjoying themselves while cohabitating in college residences.

Yet when she relocated from her hometown to university to learn reporting, she found freshers' week "intense" because of how much alcohol it involved.

She avoids drinking and had avoided party scenes before.

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

Mental Health Considerations

In a 2025 survey of more than 10,000 undergraduate students, 29% said they thought about dropping out.

The primary factor was emotional state, followed by financial concerns.

"Anxiety about all of these different things is massively common, and typical," explains a mental health professional.

Finding Solutions

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

She formed relationships via her studies and via social media, while Christina felt happier after being able to move in with friends.

Helpful Recommendations

For Robert, presently older and in his concluding studies, it was engaging in performance groups and getting a part-time job that supported social connection.

His recommendation to first-year students finding social interaction difficult is to venture outside your living space and attend organization sample activities.

"Following several weeks of consistently showing up, others notice your presence," he explains, "you become familiar with them, and friendships begin forming."