One university attendee used up much of his first week at university scrolling through digital networks, viewing updates about fellow students partying.
"I stayed indoors," Robert remembers, characterizing that period as the loneliest time of his life.
The people he lived with rarely went out, and his program didn't seem very sociable.
Although he tried by attending trial events for different clubs, he couldn't find people he connected with.
"I started to lose my self-assurance," he says. "I felt like others weren't interested to form friendships with me, or they didn't like me."
Originally, Robert wasn't considering of going to university and was offered positions for following college.
But then he observed his peers having great fun as university attendees on social media.
"When you must rise for employment on weekdays at 9:00 and you notice others went out on Wednesday night, you do start thinking others have it better," Robert mentions.
Television programs and online platforms can glorify the idea of student life.
Many individuals come to university with high expectations for what they think could be the best years of their lives.
Various learners come to university with "idealistic views," explains a mental health professional.
A different attendee's TikTok feed was full of videos of students enjoying themselves while cohabitating in student houses.
But when she relocated from her previous location to campus to study journalism, she found orientation period "daunting" because of the drinking culture it involved.
Alisha doesn't drink and had not experienced nightlife before.
"I actually passed a lot of freshers' week in my room," she says. "I merely sensed a bit alienated."
In a 2025 survey of over ten thousand college learners, 29% said they had considered withdrawing from studies.
The most common reason was emotional state, accompanied by economic considerations.
"Worry regarding all of these different things is very widespread, and normal," explains a counselling expert.
With time, all three individuals gradually adjusted and built connections.
She built connections through her course and using online platforms, while another student became more content when she could to share accommodation with peers.
For Robert, presently older and in his last year, it was engaging in performance groups and employment during studies that supported social connection.
His recommendation to new attendees experiencing connection challenges is to simply leave your accommodation and go to club and society taster events.
"After a few weeks of continuous participation, individuals become familiar with you," Robert says, "you become familiar with them, and relationships start developing."
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