At the start of uni, making friends can seem like the most difficult thing you have ever had to do. But as our student Camilla Eden finds out, social success on campus can be made much easier with a little planning and preparation.

You've arrived at your halls of residence, unloaded the car, and - after the obligatory tears and hugs - your parents have driven off back home. Now it's time to brace yourself for Freshers' Week, and with it, the nerve-wracking task of meeting your new peers and - more importantly - making friends with at least some of them. “Freshers week is really daunting, especially that first trip down to the canteen for dinner,” says Felix Meston, a music undergraduate at Kings College, London.

Somehow though, it is easy to forget that everyone is in the same boat as you and is likely to be as nervous as you are about starting their uni social life on the right foot. Of course, beginning campus life has its difficulties, but with a little forethought and clever planning, making friends does not have to be one of them.

Social supplies

Taking a few bottles of wine and a crate of beer will always bring the party to you. Forget social skills; show a bunsh of students a tinny and they’ll more than likely come running. If splashing out on social bottles of wine is a bit of a stretch, take a bottle opener, corkscrew or some shot glasses. “The most popular people were those with gimmicks in their rooms – the yard of ales and shisha pipes,” remembers Jessie Colquhoun, a second-year medical student at Manchester.

Friendly food

Hall food simply will not scratch up to Mum’s and most catered halls do not provide any sort of cooking equipment, so taking a kettle and a few mugs (plus some bags of tea and coffee for the fresher hangover), and even a toasty-maker will get you on your way. “Taking supplies from home is always useful,” advises Felix. “I forgot to take wine glasses but I bought them within the first week; it was just a sociable thing to do.” Anna Smith, who studied Physiotherapy at Brighton University, took her toasty maker on a whim, and it proved vital. “It was useful in the first few weeks for those four o’clock in the morning cravings after a night out, when you haven’t worked out where the nearest kebab shop is.”

Watch Friends, make friends

A television is not essential, yet the room you might find yourself hanging out in the most is the one showing the daily dose of Neighbours and Hollyoaks. That people often make friends through shared interests goes without saying, even if it is Ned Parker’s underpants. “I remember going out every night for four weeks. The first day we decided to stay in, all the girls bonded over make-up and Sex and The City; we found out so much stuff about each other,” says Jessie. Pack DVDs of TV shows and movies you enjoy and invite your hall mates to experience your fave films.

Teammates to mates

Freshers’ fairs provide ample opportunity to pick up friends on the way, by chatting to people looking at the same displays as you or joining the same societies. If you have a slightly sporty streak, capitalise on it – teams are major parts of uni social life. Societies and clubs have a great sense of shared community and are fabulous at organising social events and introducing people to one another - you may even find you socialise more than play.

Taking things like a Frisbee or football is a good icebreaker to interact with future friends; often a group tossing a Frisbee or throwing a ball will entice others to get involved. “A pack of cards and a rugby ball were essential parts of my first year,” remembers Anna. Likewise, taking a games console is another way of drawing people into your room.

Fancy dress to impress

During your freshers’ week, almost every night will have organised events – each night with a different theme. These can range from sex-change parties (where a scarily large number of guys seem unable to resist wearing the shortest mini-skirts and most sparkly stilettos) to ‘Back to School’ discos (a painful experience for some, but it’s all in the name of fun). Fancy dress gear for such occassions is essential. Taking more than one old school tie or hula-girl grass skirt will make you an invaluable person to know.

Also, bear in mind you may make friends in unlikely places while socialising in Freshers' Week. “My advice is to get in as many queues as possible,” says Jessie. “When you have been queuing for two hours to get into a club or to get your jacket, the people around you will be your best friends.”

Many students find that even after a year spent living together as freshers, the people they first bond with do not necessarily remain thier closest buddies. “One important thing to remember is that it is okay to not get on with everybody; you cannot be best mates with everyone,” says Felix.

“Remember to get involved and be sociable,” says Anna. “If you want a cup of tea, have it in the communal kitchen. If you need to be in your room, keep your door open. If you don’t drink, still go out and just don’t have any alcohol. The people who did not make friends were the ones who never left their room.”

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