Strangers are just friends waiting to happen
Starting university can be both exciting and daunting, but you’re not alone. Below we’ve created some resources for you to discover how older students, who’ve been in your shoes, found their people at Imperial. Scroll down below to see for yourself the amazing community that awaits you and further resources that might help!
Image credit: Thomas Angus, Imperial College London
Watch Fatima (commuter) and Dario (halls) share their experiences with making friends. Find out more about halls, societies, and how to connect with others!
You are welcome to sign up to BioSoc if you are a Biochemistry student, and vice versa! We often do collaborative events, so make sure to follow both @icbiosoc & @biochemsoc on IG!
Addtional Resources
Visit the links below learn more!
Imperial Success Guide includes:
- How uni is different from school, grade expectations, tutors, and more!
- What to do before you arrive.
- How to access your reading list (you don’t need to read the books! Refer to them to help with lectures).
- How to get involved with the Imperial community.
- A glossary of commonly used terms at uni.
An Introvert’s Guide to Freshers Week
“Get involved, sure, but take things at your own pace and try not to put too much pressure on yourself.”
“Keep a journal to become familiar with the types of situations that overstimulate you, so you can better manage your social life and avoid situations that stress you out.”
“Homesickness at uni isn’t fun but give yourself time, stay busy and it will pass.”
Have a read at the detailed guide! It may seem simple, but uni life is quite different to school. You will need to make more of an effort and take action to make and maintain your friendships from now and onwards as you enter adult life.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Making Friends for Commuter Students
“It is true. Socialising as a commuter is much more difficult. The tubes shut at midnight, you don’t have the convenience of your accommodation being a short walk away and most importantly you aren’t shoved into halls with a bunch of strangers and forced to get to know one another.
However, you most definitely can have an active, thriving social life as a commuter and I’m going to give you five golden tips that have helped me so far in making friends this term.”
UK Culture: A Guide to British Etiquette & Customs
This is a great resource to ease you into British Culture, understand the etiquette, social codes and lifestyle of Brits! For example:
- Brits place a very strong emphasis on politeness. It’s expected that you offer a polite greeting or smile when you meet someone.
- Football and especially the Premier League is a national obsession! A lot of students like to visit the Union to watch the games after lectures, over a pint of beer!
- Don’t be loud on public transport, offer your seat to elderly people, and stand on the right on escalators.
Use F.O.R.M to Master the Art of Small Talk
- Family, Friends
- Occupation
- Recreation
- Motivation