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Friendships and social life

The social side of student life will be different this year. Get our tips for making friends and managing conflict through the pandemic.

13 resources:

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Overcoming social anxiety

3 minute read

Social anxiety is something that is experienced by many students at all levels of study. Read our tips to help you move forward.

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Taking a structured approach to making friends

2 minute read

If you’re a new student, you might be worried about the impact of coronavirus on your ability to make friends.

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Building a network during coronavirus

2 minute read

Having a wide social network can help you to thrive while you are at university. This doesn’t mean you have to find dozens of close friends, but it may help to have a range of people to connect with in different ways.

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Maintaining old networks

2 minute read

While you might be focused on finding new friends at university, your old social networks can be just as important and helpful.

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Living in a social bubble

2 minute read

In order to manage the spread of coronavirus, it is possible that your university will place you into a social bubble when you start or return this academic year.

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Why conflict may occur in social bubbles

3 minute read

If you’re in a social bubble, it’s likely that you will view or do some things differently from the other people in your bubble. This can be an opportunity to expand your experience and perspective, but can sometimes also cause conflicts.

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Preparing to address conflict

3 minute read

Having a conversation with someone about a disagreement or potential conflict can feel daunting and uncomfortable, but with some preparation, you can make it more likely that it will be a helpful and positive conversation.

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Addressing conflict successfully

4 minute read

Having a conversation about a conflict can be made easier for everyone if you bear these key ideas in mind.

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Will being a student be less fun this year?

2 minute read

We cannot say that your student social life is going to look exactly as you had imagined it or how it was before - but this does not mean that you cannot have fun as a student this year.

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Tips on making friends

4 minute watch

Students from Kings College London share their tips for making friends at university.

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Balancing social media use

5 minute watch

Rufaro talks about what she’s learned about balancing her social media activity during coronavirus.

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Staying well and keeping connected during the pandemic as an LGBTQ+ student

4 minute read

Find out how the pandemic has affected LGBTQ+ students, and their tips for staying connected with their communities.

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Feeling lonely at university

2 minute read

You might be feeling lonely or isolated because of the consequences of coronavirus. This is entirely understandable.