How to Make Friends when Studying Abroad

Imagine yourself in a foreign land with no one to talk to, no one to turn up to, and no one to give you surprises or cheer you up when you are feeling low. No one to give you a helping hand or even go grocery shopping with. Sounds sad, right? Do not worry, it happens at the beginning of an academic year with everyone abroad. But how to overcome this?  Well, we have got you covered, here are 8 great different ways to make friends when studying abroad.

7 Great Ways to Make New Friends Abroad

Join Societies

Every college and university has a dedicated society for various performing arts such as dance, drama, music, sports activities, book clubs, writing societies, etc. You can join any of these societies based on your interest. These societies are a perfect way to meet new people with  similar interests and create great bonds.

Get Active on Social Media

Social Media sites are indeed revolutionary in their approach. Applications such as Facebook and Instagram and dating applications such as Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid play a huge role in making new acquaintances and friends abroad. Facebook events are great to socialise with people you have not met before, all you have to do is join the event. On the other hand, dating applications match you with other users with similar interests or mutual connections, and with a single swipe of your finger, you will have a new person to talk to. Never underestimate the power of social media.

Don’t Forget LinkedIn

LinkedIn is undoubtedly one of the best ways to connect with people with similar interests, be they educational or professional. You will find people from every sphere of life and every corner of the earth. Such is the reach of LinkedIn. Bonus, in search of friends, you might also end up finding an internship or part-time job opportunities.

Football, Concerts, Libraries, and Art Galleries

Football is an emotion for so many that the fans go crazy over the players. What is more exciting is watching football live with crazy fans than on television. So many of you might be into concerts and some of you might hate the loud noise and crazy crowd. But on the other hand, some of you might be in love with the serenity and the crazy collection of books in the library. Art galleries are not everyone’s cup of tea, you need to have some kind of knowledge about the art and the artist. Nonetheless, buy tickets to your favourite football club or buy tickets to your favourite artist’s concert, read books of your choice, or visit the nearest art gallery. Who knows, you might end up finding people of your kind, and next time you’ll have them as your company for the activities. 

Friends of Friends

It is not necessary to meet people through applications, try the age-old technique of meeting new people through a friend you know. In this way, you end up meeting people with similar interests because at the beginning of an academic session everyone is away from home and looking for the same thing, that is, friends and good company to vibe with.

Invite and Get Invited

Conversations over food are a great way to connect with people, as the saying goes, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. Invite people from your college, university, or dormitory for dinner at your place and get to know them on a personal level instead of just knowing them academically. Once you take the initiative, the other person will also appreciate the offer and invitation and similarly invite you over for dinner at their place. 

Get a Pet

If everything else fails, then get yourself a dog. What is better than a snuggly paw friend? Even though most of the dormitories don’t allow pets, before you make your decision to get a dog or cat, make sure it’s legally allowed and you don’t end up in a troublesome situation.  

It is anyway overwhelming to relocate to a new place and on top of that staying alone without any dear and near ones close by is quite difficult. Nostalgia is real, homesickness is at its peak, and feeling isolated in a foreign land is saddening. Making new friends and acquaintances takes time but don’t give up. Till then, explore the city and try to enjoy your own company.

FAQs

If you are facing any problem making friends abroad, kindly get in touch with Leverage Edu for further assistance on the toll-free number 1800-572-000 or you can email us at [email protected]