Leaving home for university can be a daunting experience. Personally, I had mixed feelings – I was equally anxious and excited. Being introverted, I knew I was going to have a hard time making friends. But most of the time, nobody’s really prepared for friendships. They just happen, often in the most unexpected ways. University is a place where you meet all sorts of people, and the friendships you form can significantly shape your experience. For many of us, university is our first introduction to real adult life. It’s where we learn to navigate new responsibilities, manage our time, and make decisions independently.
Friendships in university develop quickly and intensely due to the shared experiences of navigating this new environment together. Whether it’s late-night study sessions, navigating new social circles, or simply sharing a meal in the cafeteria, these shared experiences create strong bonds. These friendships often come from diverse backgrounds, bringing different perspectives that enrich your university experience. You learn about trust, loyalty, and sometimes, the pain of betrayal. You discover what you value in a friend and what you’re willing to tolerate, which helps you build a stronger sense of self and prepare you for future relationships.
The connections you make in university can also influence your academic and career paths. Friends can introduce you to new interests, push you to achieve your goals, and provide support during challenging times. They can open doors to internships, jobs, and other career-related opportunities. Furthermore, having a strong support system during this transformative period is crucial for your mental health and well-being. Friends can offer a shoulder to cry on during tough times, celebrate your successes, and make the overall university experience more enjoyable.
Now, let’s dive into the five types of friends you’ll likely make in university.
1. The Temporary Friends
University is the beginning and end of this type of friendship. The first girlfriend I made in university was a sweet girl whose lifestyle was completely opposite from mine, so our relationship lasted only until the end of the first semester. Unlike her, I didn’t mind making friends with dissimilar people, but she was just so judgmental and self-righteous that she would trash-talk some things I did that were perfectly normal to me.
It is not always bad blood; sometimes you outgrow some friends, while other times you just don’t click with them anymore. Temporary university friendships can last for six months or, in other cases, four years. There are some friends that you just know wouldn’t make good friends outside uni. Like, it was fun while it lasted, but good luck in your future endeavours, sis.
2. The Cool, Popular Friends
It doesn’t matter that you had promised yourself that you would never be in the spotlight and that you just want to get your degree and leave; you’ll either be affiliated with someone popular or have a friend’s friend who is popular. The point is, there’s a popular person in your friendship and gist group. Walking around with this type of friend can be tedious because everybody just seems to know them, and if you’re not careful enough, you might become the popular friend yourself.
3. Your Course Mates
This is the most unplanned friendship ever. It usually starts out small—sitting beside each other in a class, borrowing a pen, or helping them sneak into a class they were late to—and before you know it, you are going to classes together every day, sitting beside each other all the time, and helping each other during exams. It is literally that simple. It is almost impossible not to grow fond of each other after spending so much time learning and yabbing other coursemates together. I have a friendship that started exactly like this – we sat beside each other once and exchanged course materials and phone numbers (to keep in touch), and today we are really close friends.
4. The Friends Who’ll Become Your Closest Companions
Before uni, you probably had a bestie you told and did everything with, but they can’t be there for you like your uni close friend(s). No, you shouldn’t abandon your bestie; everybody just has a different relevance in your life now. Close uni friends are heaven-sent, and I wish them on every university student. They help you move into your new place, buy food for you, do an FBI investigation on the guy who has sworn to you that nobody else has his heart, escort you to a male lecturer’s office, laugh with you, cry with you, give you the latest gist and generally make uni stress bearable.
5. The Friend With Benefits
This one is an honourable mention. No group of people cheat on one another like university students. It is like a plague. So, to protect your heart, avoid exclusive relationships as much as you can. All the “baby, it is me and you together forever” talk is a scam. Imagine hearing that they saw your boyfriend with a babe at the restaurant you both frequent during exam period. Instead of reading, you’re up arguing with and crying on the phone to somebody’s son. It’s not worth it.
However, with a friends-with-benefits relationship, there’s no exclusivity or promises, and it’s mostly fun. You have someone to f-ck the stress away with and also a pillow talk partner. A 2-in-1 bonus; what more do you need?
Navigating the social landscape of university can be both thrilling and challenging. The friends you make during this time can leave lasting impressions and shape your overall experience. Whether they’re temporary friends, popular friends, coursemates, close friends, or friends with benefits, each type brings something unique to your university journey. Embrace these relationships for what they are, and cherish the moments you share with them. Remember, university is as much about personal growth and learning as it is about academics, and the friends you make along the way play a crucial role in that journey. So, enjoy the ride and make the most of every connection you form.
Tell us in the comments—Which University friend are/were you?
