How to Make Friends at Uni Without Social Media

7 min read · Brainrot Test

Here's how to make friends at uni without social media: show up to the same places repeatedly (halls or dorm kitchens, one or two societies, the same seat in class), start small conversations, and swap phone numbers instead of Instagram handles. Friendship is mostly about repeated time together, which doesn't need an app. It's slightly harder in freshers week, when everyone's shouting "what's your Insta?", but after that, in-person effort wins.

If you're off social media, or thinking about it, and want to know how much your phone still pulls at you, Check my brainrot.

Is it harder to make friends without social media?

Honestly? A little, at the start. In freshers week (UK), frosh week (Canada) or orientation (US), people swap Instagram handles like business cards. Groups form in group chats. Event plans get posted as stories.

But it's not as big a disadvantage as it feels. Here's why:

• Social media is a follow-up tool, not a friend-making tool. You still have to meet people first.
• Plenty of people want an excuse to talk in person. Being the one who asks "want to grab food?" is rare now, which makes it stand out.
• You'll have more time. Hours you'd spend scrolling can go to societies, events and actually hanging out.

Threads about this pop up on r/UniUK and r/nosurf, and the advice keeps landing in the same place: the no-Instagram thing matters most at the very start, and showing up in person matters more after that.

What to say when someone asks for your Insta

Have a line ready so it doesn't feel awkward:

• "I'm not on it, but give me your number and I'll text you."
• "I deleted it to actually focus this year. WhatsApp me though."
• "Not on Insta, but I'm on the society group chat."

Say it casually. Nobody cares as much as you think.

Freshers week moves

Freshers week (or the first week of college) is chaos, but it's also the one time nearly everyone is actively looking for friends.

1. Say yes to almost everything. Even the awkward mixer. Especially the awkward mixer.
2. Keep your door open in halls or dorms. Literally. It's the oldest trick and it still works.
3. Bring something to share. Snacks, a board game, a speaker. People gather around stuff.
4. Ask the same three questions. Where are you from? What are you studying? What's the plan tonight?
5. Remember names. Repeat them back. Write them in your notes app if you need to.
6. Swap numbers on the spot. Don't wait.
7. Suggest a specific next thing. "Going to the society fair tomorrow at 11, want to come?"

If freshers week isn't your thing

Not into clubbing or drinking? That's completely normal. Most unis now run sober or chill events: film nights, board game socials, pancake breakfasts, campus tours. Find those. The people there are often looking for the same thing you are.

Societies and clubs

This is the single best answer to "how to make friends at university UK" or "how to make friends in college." Societies (UK) and clubs (US and Canada) give you the thing friendships need most: seeing the same people every week.

How many societies should you join?

Go to taster sessions for five, commit to two. One linked to your interests, one completely new. Going every week matters more than joining lots.

How to make friends in class and in halls

In class

This is what people ask on Reddit a lot: how to make friends at uni in class. Lectures are hard for chatting. Seminars, labs and tutorials are where it happens.

• Sit in the same seat each week. You'll see the same faces.
• Talk before or after, not during. "Did you get what she meant about the reading?"
• Suggest studying together. "Want to go through the problem set in the library on Thursday?"
• Start a small study group of three or four. Revision (UK) or exam prep (US) with friends is easier anyway.

In halls or dorms

• Cook in the shared kitchen, not in your room.
• Suggest a flat or floor dinner once a week.
• Knock on doors to say hi in week one.
• Start a quiz, film or games night in a common room.

This is the part that's hard to do alone: noticing when your phone is quietly eating the time you meant for people. You tell yourself you'll go to the kitchen and chat, and 40 minutes later you're still in bed scrolling. Brainrot Test gives you a two-minute daily drill that ends with a real-world phone action on a timer, like putting your phone in another room for 10 minutes. That's the moment to knock on a door or head to the common room. Check my brainrot

Group chats without Instagram

Even off social media, you probably still need group chats. WhatsApp (common in the UK and Canada), iMessage, Discord or plain SMS all work.

• Give your number freely. Ask people to add you to the flat, course or society chat.
• Be the one who makes plans. "Anyone want to go to the market Saturday?" People love a planner.
• Don't let the chat replace hanging out. A chat is a tool for getting people in a room.
• Mute, don't leave. If it's too much, mute it and check once a day.

If Instagram is where your friends post event plans, ask one friend to text you when something's on. Most people are happy to.

Keeping friends after week one

The real test is weeks three to eight, when the freshers buzz fades and people slide into small groups. If you have no friends at uni at that point, it's not too late. Many people find their real friends in second term or even second year.

Keep showing up

• Go to the same society every week.
• Keep your weekly flat or floor dinner.
• Say yes to invitations, even small ones.

Invite people to things

Don't wait to be invited. Suggest a walk, a coffee, a film, a cheap side quest. Our list of side quest ideas with friends is packed with ones that work on a student budget.

If you're lonely at uni

It's more common than it looks. Talk to your personal tutor, a residence advisor or your student union. They see this all the time. Uni wellbeing services are there for this too.

For more on building a life you don't feel like you're scrolling past, try how to not waste your teen years or pick up something from our analog hobbies list, which doubles as a list of society ideas.

Free up time for your new friends

Knowing how to make friends at uni without social media is one thing. Doing it means your phone can't eat your evenings. Brainrot Test takes 17 questions about what you actually do when you pick up your phone and gives you a score from 0 to 100, with a comparison to everyone else. Start today, and let the daily drill nudge you towards the common room.

Check my brainrot

FAQ

Is it possible to make friends at uni without social media?

Yes. Friendships come from seeing the same people regularly, which happens in halls, societies and small classes. Social media mostly helps keep in touch, and phone numbers and group chats do that too. It can feel harder for the first couple of weeks, then it matters much less.

How do I make friends in class at uni?

Sit in the same seat every week, chat before or after seminars and labs, and suggest a study session in the library. Small study groups of three or four are easiest. Lectures are too big for chatting, so focus on smaller classes.

How do you make friends at university in the UK?

Join societies at the freshers fair and go every week, cook in your halls kitchen, and say yes to flat and course events. Freshers week is busy, but societies are where lasting friendships usually form. Sober and chill events are common if clubbing isn't your thing.

What if I have no friends at uni after freshers week?

It's more common than people admit, and it's not too late. Keep going to one or two societies, invite people to small things and try a new club in second term. If you feel really low, talk to your uni's wellbeing service or your personal tutor.

How do I make friends in college without Instagram?

Swap phone numbers or Discord instead, join a couple of clubs, talk to people on your dorm floor and be the one who suggests plans. Have a quick line ready for when people ask for your Insta. Most people won't mind at all.