There are moments in life when you will have to change your complete environment. Going away from you country to study abroad or just to a another city is one of those moments and it brings a radical change of scenery to your life.

Those moments of sudden change can bring both exhilaration or apprehension,  it feels like everything is open again. You have a chance to reinvent yourself or grab opportunities to develop, but there are also some downsides. For example: you will have to make new friends. Especially when you are shy, that is not an easy task. And you leave the friends you had for years and years, behind it might feel like you will never have such  strong connections again.

But don’t worry. You will find like-minded people wherever you go and especially in college or the university because you have so much in common already. Here are some tips that can help you out:

Simple as it might sound- just let go

When you are starting to meet the new people, you might feel shy or insecure. In a way you are in a vulnerable position because there is a certain level of dependence on other people you are experiencing.  You are not sure will they accept you or not, what kind of impression will you leave, etc. Without any friends of your own every person can be the one that you will depend on for company.

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That puts a lot of pressure on all the encounters. Some students in their first semester have a tendency to put their behaviour, and the responses of others under a magnifying glass.  They are usually bothered by questions like “Did I appear like a nice person in this interaction? Did the others like me?”.

These questions that can haunt you in such situations, and if you think like that for a while, you first days at the university can became very stressful. Every encounter that could be an inspiring experience of getting to know somebody, changed into a competition of impressing.

Advice to you, simple as it might sound, is to just let go. Take a deep breath and let all the tension, expectations or pressure slide from your shoulders. People will then be able to see the person you are in everyday life.

Of course chances are that some will reject you for it. That’s only natural. It’s how it is everywhere. The thing is that only through your natural self will you meet the people that are meant to be your friends for life.

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It sounds easy but it takes a lot of courage and practise to do so. If you are still not feeling comfortable in connecting with new people that social discovery apps just might be what you need.

Socialize Smart via Mobile

Today most off the student have smartphones and they use them intensively. There are apps that can help you discover fellow students online and connect with them in an easier way. Online you have access to more information about students and the communication goes smoother because of the well know disinhibition phenomenon.

Remember even the most self-confident students have problems with homesickness and with meeting new people. You can find them all in one place and even discover your new surroundings: places to hang out, eat, have drinks and events to visit.

You just have to be open for experiences and download an app that will help you build a fulfilling student social life.

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By Sonja Velic

Email: sonja.velic-at-smaartmobile.com