It’s the first day of class, you glance around and spot a place to sit down. A student approaches you and sits down next to you. You look at each other and say, “Hi”. As a student at university, school or even at work, this is something we regularly experience. We have all been in a position where we don’t know how to initiate a conversation, let alone make friends. I remember my first year at Curtin where I barely knew anyone. I was finding it quite challenging to make a friend. I was not sure who to approach, what to do, or even where to seek some help.

First-year students often find it quite challenging to find friends at University. The new learning environment makes it not only hard to adjust to campus life but hard to make meaningful connections too. Friends are an important part of the experience and can help you destress from exams and assignments and most importantly share a meaningful bond. They are crucial for balanced campus life! Joining a club is how I made some amazing friends and here’s how you can too!

1. Join a Club – Joining a club is one of the quickest ways to meet large groups of people who share common interests. You can join a club-specific to your major, or one that relates to your hobbies. A club allows you to get to know people outside of restricted class times and learn new skills.  Curtin has a wide array of clubs you can look through and join. International students have reported that clubs at Curtin has made it significantly easier for them to make friends.

2. Volunteer – Curtin has so many volunteering opportunities that students can register for. Not only does volunteering allow you to meet individuals with similar values and make bonds but you can also learn leadership and communication skills. Curtin Volunteers! provides opportunities that can benefit both your personal student experience and the well-being of the wider community.

3. Join a sports team – We all get exhausted over the semester and it’s hard to find time to stay active. Curtin is home to both social sports and club teams. This is a great way to stay fit during the semester and make friends. Maybe join the Curtin gym with friends, join team sports like volleyball or even learn a new sport. I recently joined the badminton team at Curtin and so far thoroughly enjoyed the experience of playing solo and also alongside a team.

Curtin offers some amazing team sports like basketball, dodgeball, badminton, netball, and football to play along with peers. I am thinking about joining the Winter Social Sports 2022 event to learn badminton and reintroduce some exercise into my busy study and work schedule. Studying at university is challenging with the ample amount of assessments to complete by the deadline, which takes a toll on our physical and mental health. According to past students, joining a sports team has proved to be highly beneficial. I thoroughly enjoyed last semester playing netball with my friends as it helped me divert my focus from studies for a while.

4. Attend Events – Curtin hosts fun events during and end of the semester like the Pyjama Party which took place on the 27th of May. This is a great way to meet people with whom you share common interests. Friend speed dating is another great way to start making friends who share similar interests and these events are held during the orientation week.

Click on the link to learn more! https://guild.curtin.edu.au/ents/event/156/