LONELINESS.
Going to university can be an exciting opportunity to meet a wide range of people and develop new relationships, but it can also be very isolating for many people. Feelings of loneliness are common among students, and there are lots of things that you might come across that make you feel lonely, such as:
- Homesickness
- Pressure to make friends
- Not being part of a group or event
- Expectations of student life
- Anxiety about work-life balance
- Not having a trustworthy person to share experiences with
- Feeling disconnected from your environment
It’s a myth that you have to be alone to feel lonely- you may be a very sociable person, but still struggle with loneliness if there is a mismatch between the relationships you have, and those you need or want. Sometimes, feelings of loneliness or isolation come out of nowhere, or may be a symptom of an underlying mental health issue such as depression. No matter what the reason, there are ways that you can look after yourself, and places to get help if you’re finding it difficult to cope.
tackling feelings of loneliness
We’ve put together this guide that you can use if you’re struggling with feelings of loneliness. You can try as many or few things as you like and be as committed or casual about your involvement as you want.
- We have a really active Give It A Go programme with a huge variety of different and exciting things to do. We’ve run activities like a Chocolate Lock-in, Pets as Therapy and loads more. They’re a great way to meet new people, so don’t worry if you don’t have anyone to go with!
- Find a volunteering opportunity to get involved with. The university Volunteering team has an online portal where there are opportunities on-campus and in the local community advertised. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and connect with others in the community.
- Join a club or society! There are over 150 student groups on campus, covering interests from football to musical theatre- there’s something for everyone! You can browse all the groups here- most will have taster sessions or trials that you can try out without becoming a member- contact the committee for more information about how to get involved. If you have an idea for a student group that we don’t yet have, let us know and we can help you set one up!
- Join a Collective! Our eight Collectives are groups of students interested in campaigning and raising awareness for different topics. They are a really great way to get to know people who have similar interests and passions to you.
- Getting a part-time job is a great way to widen your social circle.
getting support
If you need to speak to someone about how you are feeling, there are lots of options available to you:
- The University’s Student Wellbeing service is confidential and free for you to use- you can speak to a member of the team by coming along to one of their drop-ins every weekday during term time. Find out more here.
- Speak to your peer guide. Departments have peer guides who are there to support you settling in and to talk through any academic challenges you may be facing. They will have faced similar problems to you, so drop them a message asking if they have any words of wisdom.
- If you’re living in halls, you can speak to Hall Life. They run lots of events and can help with any issues you’re having in your accommodation- find out more here.
- Get in touch with our multi-faith chaplaincy. The chaplains are always happy to talk to students on any topic, regardless of your faith. For some people, faith can be a huge support during times of significant transition.
- Speak to one of our advisors at the SU. They can help with any kind of welfare issue, and are impartial and confidential.
- You can always speak to someone at Nightline or Samaritans.
In the event of a mental health crisis, the emergency services can be contacted at any time by calling 999. For advice about urgent issues, you can also call 111.
want to speak to an advisor?
If you've already looked through our web pages and can't find the information you're after, and would like to discuss something face-to-face, it's easy to see an Advisor.
Drop-in
We hold weekly drop-in sessions on Zoom during term time. Check out our Events Calendar here to find out when the next drop-in is- just use the "Advice" filter on the left hand side of the page.
Email
Email us at advice@su.rhul.ac.uk.