There are moments in life when you will
have to change your complete environment. Going away from you country
to study abroad or just to a another city is one of those moments and it brings
a radical change of scenery to your life.
Those moments of sudden change can
bring both exhilaration and apprehension; it feels like everything is open
again. You have a chance to reinvent yourself or grab opportunities to develop,
but there are also some downsides. For example: you will have to make new
friends. Especially when you are shy, that is not an easy task. And you leave
the friends you had for years and years, behind it might feel like you will
never have such strong connections again.
But don’t worry. You will find like-minded
people wherever you go and especially in college or the university because you
have so much in common already. Here are some tips that can help you out:
Simple
as it might sound- just let go
When you are starting to meet the new
people, you might feel shy or insecure. In a way you are in a vulnerable
position because there is a certain level of dependence on other people you are
experiencing. You are not sure will they accept you or not, what kind of
impression will you leave, etc. Without any friends of your own every person
can be the one that you will depend on for company.
That puts a lot of pressure on all the
encounters. Some students in their first semester have a tendency to put their behavior,
and the responses of others under a magnifying glass. They are usually
bothered by questions like “Did I appear like a nice person in this
interaction? Did the others like me?”.
These questions that can haunt you in
such situations, and if you think like that for a while, you first days at the
university can became very stressful. Every encounter that could be an
inspiring experience of getting to know somebody, changed into a competition of
impressing.
Advice to you, simple as it might
sound, is to just let go. Take a deep breath and let all the tension,
expectations or pressure slide from your shoulders. People will then be able to
see the person you are in everyday life.
Of course chances are that some will
reject you for it. That’s only natural. It’s how it is everywhere. The thing is
that only through your natural self will you meet the people that are meant to
be your friends for life.
It sounds easy but it takes a lot of
courage and practice to do so. If you are still not feeling comfortable in
connecting with new people that social discovery apps just might be what you
need.
Socialize
Smart via Mobile
Today most off the student have smart
phones and they use them intensively. There are apps that can help you discover
fellow students online and connect with them in an easier way. Online you have
access to more information about students and the communication goes smoother
because of the well know disinhibition phenomenon.
Remember even the most self-confident
students have problems with homesickness and with meeting new people. You can
find them all in one place and even discover your new surroundings: places to
hang out, eat, and have drinks and events to visit.
You just have to be open for
experiences and download an app that will help you build a fulfilling student
social life.
