5 types of friends at university

1. The Freshers Week Friend

You probably met during orientation at one of the many welcome events at your university or residence. It was great having a friendly face to help each other settle in the first few weeks since the move to London was a new experience for both of you. This friendship usually wanes off after some time as you realise you have different interests and make different friends. Or it might be forever at first meet, s/he could turn into the sibling you always wished for. Either way, everyone needs this friendship to get through the transition into a new residence, new university and new city. Even if you do grow apart, you are still able to exchange warm smiles and keep fond memories of those first weeks.

2. The Study Buddy

You’ll meet this friend in the department common room or the library more than once. A friendly chat during a study break and a few classes together, you find yourself engaging in mutually beneficial conversations over this theory or the other. The study buddy challenges you to stay on top of your reading lists and provides that healthy competition that motivates you to do well. This friendship thrives on helping each other succeed and can develop into a lifelong friendship as you explore other mutual interests out of the university walls.

3. The Classmate

You see this friend a couple of times a week, s/he even goes out their way to save you a seat when there’s a full class. There’s always some small talk about the pressure of writing that 5 000 – word paper or an upcoming exam. You enjoy this friend’s company in the university setting and even after several attempts of meeting up or hanging out in a different setting, it never really happens. This friendship one convenience and thrives on proximity — the minute you leave the lecture room each of you returns into your world only to meet at the next class. Social media heart emojis and thumbs up become the only way to keep up with each other’s lives after you graduate.

4. The Party Friend

Always up for a good time, the party friend knows where to get the cheapest drinks on a Tuesday night. After bumping into this friend a couple of times in the student bar, you exchanged numbers and now s/he is that familiar face that lights up and announces your arrival to the rest of the party group at every party. You’ve even grown to have one of those ‘So, where are we heading to after class?” type of friends. This friendship is coloured with a lot of cheering, toasting, bathroom runs, hugs and that one random blackout (that you still can’t remember). Even though you don’t have time to go out every Friday, having a party friend is good for those nights when you just need to blow off some steam.

5. The Friend for Life

This is your person. On meeting this friend it feels like the universe conspired for your atoms to meet at this point in your life. You feel like you’ve known each other all your lives and you find it so easy to talk about anything and everything. S/he just gets you — no judgement. You have so much in common and your differences seem to complement each other. This friendship tends to grow beyond university and lasts a lifetime. If you are lucky enough to find this friendship, treasure it.

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