Author: Sabine K., MSc Modern Building Design -
Where to meet new people and make great friends at university
It is 00.12 am, the 26th of June, I am sitting at Costa at Heathrow airport. I am going back home to spend some quality time with my family and while I am sitting here, not knowing how to pass my time better until 4 am (if you didn’t know: Heathrow airport closes during midnight … I have just found out), I got quite nostalgic, thinking how time has passed so quickly.
Without any exaggeration, I feel like I have developed and learned so much since I have arrived in Bath, not only with regards to my studies but also my personal development. I was fortunate enough to spend the last couple of months in a small town like Bath where I could share my life with great people. I met pretty much all of them on the second day of my arrival at the university during the so called International Café, a gathering of – as the name says – new international students.
The Café started off with some icebreakers where we got to know each other - at least I was told so as I arrived late which is a speciality of mine. However, I don’t regret to have had arrived late since I probably would not have met the people which I had been spending the greatest time with during my course. We got to meet each other while we were standing on the queue to get some cups of hot beverage (filter coffee and a variety of bagged tea) and cookies.
While we were having the usual whereareyoufromandwhatdoyoustudy-ish talk, we got approached by other students and expanded the chat to ohreally-wowtellmemore-conversations. Eventually we ended up forming a big circle of mostly postgraduate students and already planned when and where to have a house party. Many of those people are studying probably something different then you, hence they are from different departments with different backgrounds.
Some couple of days later, there was a silent disco organised by the university for postgraduate students. If you don’t know what a silent disco is: Headphones are provided with different channels (i.e., different music genres) where you dance like crazy surrounded with people who dance probably even more vague. This is a great concept, especially for a place like a university to avoid too much noise. Good music, affordable drinks, great people. I loved it. Those events brought the people who I got to meet during the International Café closer. Eventually, we have been keeping contact to each other until now.
If you don’t get the chance to join the International Café event or some other parties for postgraduates organised by the university, then don’t worry as there is a variety of societies which you can join. I got to know about those societies in the first week of arrival where the whole campus was full of groups covering topics such as dance, sports, music, religion and culture. I joined some of them immediately such as the Salsa Society and the Yoga Society and met again fabulous people from other faculties. Have a look at the variety of societies which the University of Bath offers at the Student Union website. You can also find current vacancies on the SU’s website if you are interested in getting a part time job at the university.
Also, the postgraduate society organises the Plug Quiz throughout the year where you can win amazing prizes and enjoy yourself in good company. Feel free to check out the uni’s Freshers Week 2018 website as well where there is a whole programme provided for postgraduate students (further information will follow soon).
On the whole, if you love socialising and learning new skills, I cannot not recommend checking out the societies and group which the university offers. I guarantee that you will enjoy them.
Respond
