I'm Char and I was a student here at the University of Plymouth from 2017-2021 during which I studied my undergraduate and postgraduate in Publishing. Fast forward a few years after graduating, I ended up returning to our campus but this time as a staff member at the Students’ Union. In my role, I am lucky enough to engage with our amazing student community here in Plymouth both online and face-to-face on a daily basis and I get to hear about the incredible things students get involved with outside of their course!
An introvert’s guide to starting university:
As an someone who considers themselves pretty introverted, I remember coming to university feeling incredibly overwhelmed. Suddenly you’re in a new city, living in a new flat, with people you’ve never met before, about to join a new course with even more people you don’t know, and on top of this, there seems to be so many events and activities to get involved with, that it just feels all too much. Trust me, I get it.
Having now completed my university year’s and being able to reflect on my experience, I have realised that there are some things that I wish – as an introvert – I had known about university life, and more specifically, about your first few weeks of university. This is my little guide to all the introverts out there who are about to embark on their university journey who are feeling apprehensive but want to make the most out this new chapter…
1. You will find your feet, but it doesn’t always happen instantly.
At the start, you might feel like you’re the only person feeling the way you are and struggling to keep up with everything going on, but I promise, so many others are feeling exactly like that too. There is no right or wrong way to feel, and everyone will adjust to university life at different times and in different ways. I will be honest and say it took me longer than I thought, but I did get there and eventually saw Plymouth as home (so much so that I never left after graduating!) and so will you.
2. It is ok to not make friends with those you live with.
When I came to university, I was placed in halls with a group of people who were friendly, but a lot more outgoing and interested in the night life than myself. At first, I felt disheartened, a little lonely, and like I wasn’t going to be able to make friends. What I soon discovered is: there are so many people at university that you will meet beyond just those you live with, and soon enough I did find ‘my people’ that made this city home and they have remained friends of mine beyond my university years.
3. Student groups are not just for extroverts, athletes, or geniuses.
I think my only real regret about my time as a student is not joining a student group. Like many others, I saw sports clubs and societies as groups that only outgoing people joined, and it just wasn’t a place for me: I was very wrong.
From everything I have now learnt about the dynamics and ‘family feel’ of student groups, I now realise that they are not scary and that they are in fact some of the friendliest and most supportive groups that you can be a part of, and what’s more, they want you to be a part of. Joining a student group would have only enhanced my student experience, and I urge everyone to explore what being a member of a society or sports club is like.
Browse all student groups here and meet some of the members face-to-face during our Welcome Sports & Fitness Fair and Socieities Fair.
4. Just because you have no one to go with, shouldn’t mean you don’t turn up.
I get it, the idea of showing up to an event alone as an introvert is a scary thought. Truthfully (and bluntly) though: no one cares that you are alone, and no one will probably even take notice. During my first week of university, no one from my flat wanted to attend any of the fairs on campus and to be honest, I was too scared to go by myself. Looking back, I think if I had pushed myself out my comfort zone just for an hour and attended these fairs, it may have led me to join a student group – which as I said, it my biggest regret not doing.
What you need to remember is, these fairs, events, and activities are designed for you to meet new people – there is no expectation for you to turn up with people already (but it is also totally fine to do that too of course).
5. My last piece of advice for any introverts out there is to just to be yourself.
It is natural to want to fit in at university and it can be easy to get swept along in the chaos and feel peer-pressured into doing things. But believe me, if you constantly say yes to things you don’t really want to do, you will burn out from it.
I am not suggesting you shouldn’t try to push yourself out your comfort zone at times, but it is important to stay true to who you are and to not get caught up in pretending to be someone you aren’t in order to please others and to feel like you ‘fit in’ with certain crowds. You will find your circle and your place at university in time.
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