1. Give Yourself Time to Make the Transition

The transition back to university may not be as challenging as when you started as a new student, but it’s common for some of those old feelings to arise again, including homesickness. Readjust by spending however much time you need alone, practicing self-care, and perhaps limiting activities for the first few days or weeks.

2. Make Plans in Advance

Reach out to your friends before you’re back at university to arrange some things to do together. These don’t need to be anything complicated — just meeting up at your favourite coffee shop, checking out each other’s new accommodation for the year, or going to buy school supplies together can be great ways to reconnect.

Furthermore, proposing to meet up gives you an excuse to start a conversation. You could even suggest a video call between a few of your closest friends to arrange the details. Having a chat should remove some of the tension you may be feeling before you see each other in person again.

3. Find Your True Friends

Since it’s easy to meet people at university, there’s no need to spend time with people who don’t care about you or are unkind. If you’re concerned about people judging you (such as if you didn’t have a particularly extravagant summer), bear in mind that anyone who does this is not a true friend — and there’s no point maintaining such friendships.

Instead, seek friends who do care about you and show an interest in what you have to say. Remember that it’s much more important to have a few great friends than to be part of a large group of people you won’t even stay in touch with after you graduate.

4. Seek Support

If you’re feeling anxious about your return to university, talk about it with someone you trust. This could be a friend you’ve known for many years, a family member, or a therapist. If you’re already back at university and want support, find out about counselling services available on campus. You may be able to receive counselling for free or at a low cost, which could be useful at many points during your time at university.

One thing that will help you with maintaining university friendships throughout the semester is having an apartment where you can invite friends over. You can find spacious apartments near Brock University at Regent Student Living. You’ll be able to invite friends to hang out in your bedroom or living room and meet new people in the community room. Book a virtual tour to check out all the facilities in our two properties.