Blog: How I met my friends at UoB
Written by UoB Alumna Rebecca Gregory
When I first came to UoB, everyone told me that I was going to make friends for life. And even though I did eventually, there were many times throughout my university experience where I believed that it was a lie. It’s very easy to compare yourself to other students, especially when you see them with huge groups of friends. For some, university can be an isolating and difficult time. Whilst it wasn’t all smooth sailing, I have come out the other end of my degree experience with true friends for life. In this blog, I want to show the many different ways I formed friendships throughout each year of my degree.
My first year
Before I joined UoB, I was a quiet and shy person who tended to keep to myself. I lived on the Vale during my first year at university and despite the vibrant atmosphere of the village, I hated going out partying which made it tough to make friends at first. My ideal night used to be watching movies or baking (which the Baking Society was great for!). The hardest change about university is not having a constant and daily support network from friends back home and family. I found that being at university forces you to make your own support network and it’s really really hard! However, despite my worries about meeting others, I became friends with people in the baking society and PhotoSoc, my course and in my flat. You don’t have to change who you are to find and make some amazing friends. The joy of there being so many societies is that there’s many different groups to help you meet people with similar interests.
My second year
With my first year complete, I moved into a house with some course mates and people we had lived with in our first year. Due to COVID-19 rules and restrictions at the time, it wasn’t possible to go out to clubs, parties, and other big social gatherings. For me, this was perfect! Every single night, we would all come together and watch movies or just have a catch up. I loved spending so much time with them all. I was lucky as they were lovely housemates and when I look back, it was one of my favourite times at uni. I also took advantage of the Sports and Fitness centre to help me create a fixed routine. There are so many lovely instructors (shout out to Helen Coy and her Body Pump classes) who helped me learn how strong your body is and to love yourself. As the classes were usually full of friendly students, it’s a great atmosphere to meet other like-minded people and then grab a coffee in Costa after a class.
My third year
Going into my third year, I did a year abroad in New Brunswick, Canada as part of my degree. It was, without a shadow of a doubt, the most incredible experience of my life. I’m not going to lie; it was tough and challenging at points but whilst I was there, I met three other girls from UoB, and we formed a small friendship group (COVID-19 restrictions still made it hard to socialise). As my year abroad came to an end, it dawned on me that most of my friends would be graduating in the summer whereas I would be returning to UoB to do my final year. I knew only a couple of people who would still be there. It felt really scary but by now I had grown more confident and capable of being independent and looking after myself.
My fourth and final year
Following my return from Canada, I ended up living in private halls, near the big Sainsburys in Selly Oak, with four boys. My nights of watching romcoms with my girls turned into evenings listening to the boys shouting as we played Mario Kart and watching horror films like the Conjuring (which gave me too many sleepless nights!). During this time, I was also working with the Go Global Team at UoB. This was an amazing experience as I met many returning students from their years abroad and to this day, I still meet up and chat with some of them regularly. It was great to still be forming friendships in the final few months of my degree and I now have the rest of my future to make a new set of memories with them.
Graduate reflections
When I graduated in 2023, it was a great time to reflect on everything that had happened over the past four years. I’d achieved a whole entire degree! I’d also become a more confident person. In my first year, I isolated myself and it was tough. By the end of my degree, I valued the time I had to myself because it became sparse and limited due to my active social life. It’s natural to find uni challenging and have tough times so if you ever need additional support don’t be afraid to talk to someone. Head over to the Time to Talk? page for more information and guidance.
But, even when I felt like I wouldn’t make any friends, I ended up meeting some of the best people in the most unusual places and I’m sure you will too. Just be patient, stay true to yourself and prioritise the things you value. Make the most of the opportunities offered by the university and surrounding community. Before you know it, Selly Oak will be a distant memory and your friends will live a 2-hour train journey away rather than upstairs or round the corner.