How to Make Friends at Uni: A 5 Step Guide‑Step Guide

You’re not in school anymore, and it can feel like starting from ground zero. After years of seeing the same faces, you might suddenly know no one. That’s normal! Whether you’re relieved to start fresh or feeling a bit homesick for the familiar, here are five practical steps to help you make friends, and build friendships that last beyond census date.

1) Get on campus

Deep friendships start with repeated, low-pressure contact. That means showing up—physically. If your subject offers in-person classes, take them. Wander O-Week stalls, sit in the same spot each lecture, linger after tutes, and say yes to society barbecues even if you don’t know anyone yet. Join a club that fits your interests (or your curiosity): sport, music, debating, games, volunteering—whatever gets you out of your room and into conversations. Keep showing up at places, and you’ll start running into people.

Try this: pick two campus spaces to frequent each week (e.g., the same library floor and the café near your faculty) and be a regular.

2) Take the first step

Most people want to connect—they’re just waiting for someone else to go first. Put down your phone. Smile and make eye contact. Ask, “Mind if I sit here?” Compliment a cool tote bag or sticker. Try simple openers:

• “Hey, I’m [Name]. What are you studying?”
• “How’d you find the lecture?”
• “Any tips for this unit?”
• Keep your headphones off in class so you look approachable. If small talk stalls, no stress—thank them for the chat and move on. Not every conversation becomes a friendship, but every friendship starts with a conversation.

Pro tip: swap names twice (“I’m Sam.” “I’m Jess.” “Nice to meet you, Jess.”) to help it stick.

3) Be genuinely interested

Once you’ve started a conversation, keep it going by asking questions to learn more about people. Ask open questions like: “What got you into nursing?” “What’s your go-to study snack?” Listen for details you can revisit next time. Share a little about yourself too—honesty invites honesty. If you click, connect on socials and send a quick message later (“Great to meet you today! Want to compare notes after the next tute?”). People can feel when they’re treated as a person, not a project. Listen for details you can revisit next time. Share a little about yourself too—honesty invites honesty. If you click, connect on socials and send a quick message later (“Great to meet you today! Want to compare notes after the next

Conversation topics to get started: classes, part-time work, commutes, hometowns, sport, music, weekend plans—safe topics that lead naturally to deeper stuff.‑time work, commutes, hometowns, sport, music, weekend plans—safe topics that lead naturally to deeper stuff.

4) Remember: relationships take effort

Community comes at an inconvenience. You’ll go out when you might rather stay home, or spend a bit more on PT or petrol, and choose conversation over another hour of doom‑scrolling. There will always be these sacrifices, but it goes both ways. Be the person who follows through: show up when you say you will, send the “Want to grab a coffee before class?” text, and be quick to apologise if you bail. Consistency beats intensity. A dozen small hangs beat one huge, rare event.

Set yourself up: block “people time” into your weekly plan so study doesn’t swallow everything, and budget a little for coffees or shared meals.

5) Form friendship groups (find a “third space”)

Friends don’t only come as one-to-ones. Groups make friendship easier because you don’t have to carry every conversation. Find or create a “third space” (that is, not home and not class) where you naturally gather: a society, a weekly sport run, Thursday night dumplings, board game afternoons, a study with snacks session. Keep it predictable (“Same time, same place each week”). As routines form, group chats get livelier, inside jokes build, and you’ll feel the shift from “acquaintances” to “my people”.

Starter ideas: post-lecture lunch, Friday arvo basketball, Sunday roast at a share-house, movie night, or a campus faith/Bible discussion group if that’s your thing.‑lecture lunch, Friday arvo basketball, Sunday roast at a share‑house, movie night, or a campus faith/Bible discussion group if that’s your thing.

A final word

You’ve done hard new things before: first day of high school, first job interview, first solo trip. Uni friendships grow the same way. Show up, be kind, stay curious, repeat. You won’t click with everyone, but you will click with someone. Take it one step at a time!