How do you actually make friends when you’re near the end of uni?
I’m 22F, an international medical student in Glasgow, and lately I’ve been getting a lot of FOMO about eventually leaving the UK feeling like I never really experienced the uni life I wanted.
I have a few friends, but I’ve never had that proper friend group where you spontaneously make plans, go hiking, travel somewhere for the weekend, try random activities together or meet new people through each other. I also live alone, so when the people I know are busy or away, I can easily go an entire weekend with nothing planned and barely see anyone. That’s when the loneliness really hits.
Medicine makes it harder because I’m currently 9–5 at a peripheral hospital, plus commuting, so by the time I’m home I’m exhausted. It’s difficult to consistently attend societies or have the energy to organise plans myself.
I also genuinely struggle with approaching people and making the first move. Even making friends online feels awkward because I have no idea how you go from messaging a stranger to actually meeting up and becoming friends. Being an international student adds another layer because sometimes I feel like local/British students already have their circles and aren’t particularly interested in becoming close friends with me. I don’t know whether that’s actually true or just how it feels from my side.
I really want to make the most of the time I have left here. I want to travel, hike, try new sports and hobbies, learn new things and just have people to do life with, rather than waiting around for the few people I know to be free.
Has anyone been in a similar position and actually managed to build a new social circle? How do you meet people when you live alone, struggle to approach people, don’t have much free time and don’t already have a group to introduce you to others?