Loneliness

As a student, you experience many life changes such as moving away from those you are close to and making new friends. Experiencing change and making life decisions can impact our sense of belonging, which can lead to feelings of loneliness.

How can I help myself?

The first thing to keep in mind is that you are certainly not the only one feeling lonely.

The actual feeling of loneliness is a 'flag' that there is something you need, so take notice of the feeling.

• Don't hide away or avoid people
• Put yourself in situations where you can become involved in conversations and activities
• Take the initiative and talk to other people rather than waiting for them to talk to you
• Say 'hello' or maybe just smile, it will usually be returned
• Be positive when you talk with people
• Get involved in societies or voluntary work
• Balance your time so sometimes you are with people and sometimes you are alone
• Work out if you prefer to talk in groups or have one-to-one conversations or a mixture of the two

Keep trying even if your first attempts are not very successful - you may be expecting too much of yourself and others.