Belonging: anonymous student notes

Arriving later than everyone else feels like showing up halfway through a film and pretending you know the plot.

It is hard hearing “just come, it’s only twenty euros” when twenty euros is already three decisions.

The group chat makes it look like everyone has friends, a room, a relationship and a five-year plan. be serious

I joined the chat to meet people and now I am intimidated by people I have never seen.

Friendships have not already been decided. Repeating this for myself and anyone else silently reading.

everyone says “just talk to people” like talking to people is not the entire problem

I thought university would make me a new person. Turns out I brought myself with me.

There is a special kind of lonely in standing beside a group that is speaking a language you almost understand.

I am not missing home exactly. I am missing being somewhere I did not have to explain myself.

Starting university and a long-distance relationship at the same time is a lot of “I’m fine” in two time zones.

I wanted the freedom of leaving home. I did not account for how much I would miss hearing someone else in the kitchen.

Some days I came here for opportunity. Other days I would trade the opportunity for my own bed and one meal from home.

I had a normal conversation with someone after class and did not analyse it for three hours. Growth.

I said yes to a casual sports thing and spent the whole day worrying everyone else would be professionally casual.

There are days when this place feels exactly right and days when I search train prices home. Both can be true.

I am scared to arrive alone but also secretly proud that I am doing it.

Being kind to new people is free and some of us remember it for months.

I want friends. I do not want to market myself as friendship material.

The people I feel safest with are not always the people I look most social beside.

I keep waiting to feel settled as if the city will send a confirmation email.

The friendship plan is to keep showing up until we stop introducing ourselves.

Somebody else being quiet at the event made me brave enough to stay.

You are not late to the friend group. There is no official friend group.

I am excited to meet everyone, but the group chats make it seem like friendships have already been assigned.

The first person who asks me to join a casual sports team is getting my eternal loyalty.