Settling in at uni: making friends and taking part

Hi, I'm Jubeda. I've just recently enrolled in my second year and I'm studying BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering at Bradford.

So you've just enrolled. Now what?

Now it's time to settle in, make friends, learn new things, and most importantly have loads of fun. In this blog, I'm going to share a few tips on how you can achieve all of the above.

Welcome Week

The first step of your new life at the University of Bradford begins during your Welcome Week.

Now you might be thinking that it sounds boring but trust me, attending the Welcome Week events is the quickest way to gather all the necessary and crucial information about your academic year.

During this first week, you will be introduced to support staff and be given your timetables for your classes for the term. You'll be shown how to access the resources available to you and find out about all the fun events the University has planned.

You'll have an information pack delivered during Welcome Week which really helps you organise and navigate the first week of university. You will also be able to mingle with fellow students and get to know your classmates.

Making friends

Making friends is one of the key parts of being at university.

Some people may be thrilled about the idea of making new friends whereas others may dread stepping outside of their comfort zone to talk to other people. Whatever the case may be for you, remember that there are countless ways to put yourself out there.

I met my friends by joining societies, participating in student events, and just generally talking to people at any student gathering. There is always someone whose interests will match yours, and before you know it you'll be lifelong friends.

Taking part in festivities

A huge part of university life is attending festivities and events.

If you like to have fun and relax, then you'll love Freshers Week, the summer parties, and trips organised by the University of Bradford Union of Students (UBU). Moreover, you are also able to meet new people and make friends at these gatherings as well. I attended every event in the first few weeks of my university life. I had fun, made memories and found some amazing friends.

If you're looking to improve your future career prospects, you can attend career fairs and academic events.

Bonuses of being a student

University life also provides more ways to enjoy your time outside of campus.

You can access student discounts from various retail providers, restaurants, and certain theme parks. Check out Students Beans, UNiDAYS and TOTUM for these discounts. Having access to student discounts means you can plan low-cost activities for you and your friends to do.

One of the main ways to enjoy student life is to make sure you're looking after your mental wellbeing. The University runs a Counselling and Mental Health Service that offers students counselling and wellbeing sessions. They also provide mental health self-help resources to help you with any kind of pressure you might deal with during your studies.

Discover more about student life at Bradford.