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Robert Medhurst spent most of his orientation week browsing through social media, reading posts about fellow students partying.

"I was just in bed," Robert explains, describing the week as the most solitary phase of his life.

His housemates didn't go out much, and his program didn't seem particularly social.

Even though he made efforts by participating in sample activities for different clubs, he didn't discover his people.

"I gradually lost my self-assurance," he says. "I believed people didn't want to be friends with me, or they didn't like me."

Online Network Judgments

At first, Robert had no intention of studying at university and had a job offer for following college.

However he watched his acquaintances having great fun as university attendees on social media.

"When you've got to get up for employment on weekdays at the morning hour and you observe peers partied on the previous evening, you begin believing situations appear superior," Robert mentions.

Higher Education Assumptions

TV shows and social media can glorify the idea of university living.

Lots of people arrive at college with great anticipations for what they think could be the best years of their lives.

Various learners come to university with "idealistic views," explains a counselling manager.

Survey Findings

• According to research of freshers in their first week, the primary worry was fitting in and finding acceptance
• In another survey conducted by analysts, a significant minority said they were without companions at university
• A substantial portion mentioned they felt anxious regularly about making friends

Personal Experiences

Alisha Miah's TikTok feed was populated with clips of students enjoying themselves while sharing accommodation in university housing.

Yet when she transferred from her previous location to campus to pursue media studies, she found freshers' week "intense" because of how much alcohol it involved.

She avoids drinking and had avoided party scenes before.

"I utilized a lot of freshers' week in my room," she says. "I just felt a bit alienated."

Psychological Aspects

In a 2025 survey of numerous university attendees, a significant portion mentioned they had considered withdrawing from studies.

The most common reason was their mental and emotional health, accompanied by financial concerns.

"Concern over all of these different things is extremely prevalent, and typical," notes a mental health professional.

Finding Solutions

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

She formed relationships during classes and via social media, while another student became more content after being able to share accommodation with peers.

Helpful Recommendations

For Robert, now 24 and in his concluding studies, it was engaging in performance groups and working occasionally that helped him make friends.

His recommendation to beginning learners finding social interaction difficult is to simply leave your accommodation and participate in group trial sessions.

"Following several weeks of consistently showing up, people recognise your face," he mentions, "you become familiar with them, and relationships start developing."