University. For so many students, it’s the promised land. For introverts, it can also feel like the biggest hurdle they’ve ever had to face. From the very first sniff of freshers’ week, there are parties, debates, societies, shared accommodation, and a complete overload of other people.
Luckily, uni is also what you make it. If you don’t want it to be all extroversion and unnecessary distractions, then it doesn’t need to be. Simply consider the following vital tips for surviving and even thriving as a shy student.
# 1 – Find Your Private Space
Often, the complete lack of private space is the thing introverts find most stressful about university, especially when they have their studies to think about. Luckily, it is possible to carve private spaces, even in a social higher-education world.
The best option is to simply look into private student accommodation if your budget allows. This way, no matter how busy your days get, you’ll also have your own home, or at least your room, to return to and lock the door. Failing that, something like finding a regular, tucked-away corner of the library can be more of a comfort than you might realise. It may also be beneficial to alternate private study periods with your roommate, who will also likely be glad of this break. Then, you can be sure of at least some peace when you need it the most.
# 2 – Lean on Similarities
As an introvert, the idea of drifting between uni-party conversations can seem petrifying, and you may worry you won’t know what to say. But, university can be a blessing in this sense, because it’s one of the first times in your life where you’re mixing with a group of people with the same interests and even career path as you.
By spending time at course or department-specific get-togethers and societies, you can lean into those similarities, ensuring that there’s also something to talk about. It’ll be easy to connect with people when you know you have that one thing in common. From talking about what you loved from your latest lecture to sharing what you enjoy most about that topic, even network-based socialisation can be a lot easier this way.
# 3 – Make a Plan
As an introvert, you might not be great with the last-minute parties that seem to happen in a university setting. In fact, you’re more likely to dodge invites when you don’t have time to prepare. So make a plan.
While some last-minute social stuff is inevitable when you’re dealing with this many people, there are a lot of social elements of uni that you can plan for. For instance, you can plan which societies to attend, or which orientation events to add to your fresher’s calendar. Doing so willl help you to build yourself up to do well in social events, rather than panic and reject invites.
University can be tough for anyone, let alone an introvert. Thrive, don’t just survive, by putting these pointers into action.
