Graduated with your high school diploma and got into the right university? Congratulations! Now new acquaintances, student life, and a lot of interesting discoveries await you. And how to join a new group at university, how to behave properly and become the soul of the company? In this article, we’ve collected a lot of useful tips that will help you quickly adapt to your new colleagues and find friends.
How to integrate into a new team as a student: effective tips
The excitement and uncertainty you may feel in your first days at college or uni is a completely normal reaction. Believe us, you are not alone. Psychologists say that any person, whether a child or an adult, needs time to adapt to a new environment.
There are three types of possible adaptation:
- light (up to three months);
- medium (three to six months);
- heavy (from six to nine months).
Yes, it turns out that even those who quickly get used to the changes and easily find common ground with others may be uncomfortable for three months.
And to make it easier to cope with anxiety, make friends with other first-year students, and find your place in the group, take note of our psychological tips.
Think positively
Whether or not you believe in esotericism and reality-transurfing is irrelevant. Some thoughts really are material. Especially when it comes to mood. If you’re always waiting for a catch and looking at the other person with apprehension, then he will feel the tension and prefer to stay away. So when you go to university, set yourself up for good and think positively. This will help you to relax, get positive emotions from the first days, and encourage people to be nice to you.
Be yourself
How do you fit into a new team? You often hear this advice: become the best version of yourself, try a new image, behave the way you’ve always dreamed of. Perhaps to some people, this way will work. But remember that it has its disadvantages: playing someone who you are not, is quite difficult; people feel insincerity and may be wary; at some point, you will want to return to the familiar behavior; the difference in behavior may cause confusion or alienate people. It is better to remain yourself – so you can make those friends who share your interests, views on life, and attitude towards learning. And you won’t lose yourself in an endless stream of characters and roles that aren’t appropriate for you.
Smile
Remember, a smile is your strongest weapon. Especially if it is sincere and open. So if you want to quickly get others to like you, do not forget to smile when addressing someone with a request or answering a question. And just keep a slight smile on your lips.
Be polite
First and foremost, you need politeness to make people like you. Agree, to join a new group, make friends and be in good standing with teachers is much easier if a person communicates politely, not rude on any occasion.
Think about the image beforehand
What should I wear to my first classes at university? It’s a tough question, especially when you remember that you are greeted by your clothes and seen off by your mind. But to get your mind noticed, it is important not to scare people away by shouting or unkempt images. It is worth thinking about clothing in advance, finding out whether the university has recommendations for the appearance of students.
Of course, if you have your style and you do not want to give it up – go for it! A bright image will attract people who share similar values, mark the boundaries, and make you stand out from the crowd. And if there are no specific clothing preferences, it is better to focus on neatness and simplicity. This will help to get used to the people and environment first, and then dare to stylish experiments if there will be a need for them.
Be active
Studying at university is a time to be active, to try new things, and to accept different offers. Are you invited to a cafe? Say yes! Organizing a student theater? Why not try your hand at a new role. This way you can meet people and get to know yourself better. And don’t forget to take the initiative yourself. Suggest a trip to the park after class or a board game night. This will help bring the group together, and you can become the soul of the company. Stop looking for excuses for a lot of studying, after all once in a while you can think about who can write my essay for me.
Be interested in others
How do you show other people that you are interested in them? Standing back and looking at the floor is not the best strategy. But asking questions is. This way you show that you are open to communication, interested in others, and able to listen. But remember one rule: If the answer is one-syllable or through your teeth, leave him alone. It is better to find someone happy to communicate than to be overly intrusive.
Keep in touch on social networks
Having trouble communicating with classmates in person? Create a common chat in a messenger or a group on social networks. So you can keep in touch not only at uni, suggest interesting topics, quickly share news and help each other. Classmates will be grateful for such an activity. Especially since it’s probably easier to communicate online, not only for you but for many of them as well.
We hope that these simple but effective tips will help you quickly integrate into a new team, make friends, and enjoy your studies.
