One of the best parts of university is meeting loads of new people and making some friends that will remain part of your life for a long time. But for most new students this is also one of the scariest aspects of Freshers’, but don’t worry – here are some top tips to help you when meeting new BU students!

Meet people online beforehand!

If I were to restart university I would definitely try and find my flatmates and neighbours as well as other students on my course using social media. Especially after accommodation is sorted lots of people are looking to make friends online before coming to university. Freshers’ Facebook groups are a good place to start, but Bournemouth’s forum on The Student Room also gets busy and is full of friendly students. BU also sets up a “buddying scheme” where you will be paired with and given the contact details of somebody with similar interests to you!

Practise your icebreakers!

Make sure you have a few icebreakers prepared for when you have moved in, these don’t even necessarily need to be questions or jokes. One of my housemates gave out cupcakes in first year! Just remember when talking to new people they are often just as nervous as you are.

Get out and make as many friends as possible

Before you move to Bournemouth, you will be sent a guide of all of SUBU’s events during Arrivals Week, which include sports classes, beach walks and awesome nights out! There really is something for everyone. Not all students like drinking, but don’t worry about fitting in. Another great way to meet people is to join a few societies; BU has over 100 societies so there will definitely be a few that should interest you.

By Chris Bowditch