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Robert Medhurst spent most of his freshers' week scrolling through digital networks, reading posts about other students' fun nights out.

"I stayed indoors," Robert explains, depicting those days as the most solitary phase of his life.

His housemates rarely went out, and his course didn't feel especially friendly.

Although he tried by attending trial events for different clubs, he couldn't find his people.

"I started to lose my self-esteem," he says. "I felt like others weren't interested to become my friends, or they didn't like me."

Digital Platform Contrasts

Initially, Robert wasn't considering of studying at university and had a job offer for after sixth form.

However he watched his acquaintances living it up as college students online.

"When you need to wake up for work on Thursday at the morning hour and you notice others went out on midweek, you do start thinking others have it better," Robert says.

Higher Education Assumptions

Media content and social media can glorify the idea of university living.

Lots of people arrive at college with strong assumptions for what they think could be the best years of their lives.

Various learners come to university with "rose-tinted glasses," notes a support services coordinator.

Study Outcomes

• In a poll of new students initially, the primary worry was fitting in and feeling included
• Additional research through polling organizations, 17% of students said they lacked friendships at university
• 37% said they worried daily or weekly about building relationships

Personal Experiences

A different attendee's social media content was filled with content of students enjoying themselves while sharing accommodation in university housing.

However when she transferred from her hometown to university to pursue media studies, she found freshers' week "daunting" because of the drinking culture it involved.

She avoids drinking and had avoided party scenes before.

"I actually passed considerable time initially within my living space," she says. "I simply experienced slightly disconnected."

Psychological Aspects

In a 2025 survey of more than 10,000 undergraduate students, a significant portion mentioned they thought about withdrawing from studies.

The main cause was their mental and emotional health, followed by monetary worries.

"Concern over all of these different things is very widespread, and typical," explains a mental health professional.

Discovering Answers

With time, all three individuals all found their feet and developed friendships.

She built connections via her studies and using online platforms, while the individual experienced improvement when she could to relocate with companions.

Useful Suggestions

For Robert, presently older and in his last year, it was joining his university's drama society and employment during studies that supported social connection.

The suggested approach to new attendees struggling to socialize is to just "get out of your room" and participate in group trial sessions.

"Following several weeks of continuous participation, people recognise your face," he mentions, "you become familiar with them, and relationships start developing."