Moving Out for University After High School – How to Make Friends and Not Feel Lonely?

First year of university and a new city. Why is the fear of loneliness after high school completely normal?

While arranging clothes in the wardrobe and unpacking boxes, quite a chaos can appear in your head. Who will I grab a coffee with during the break between lectures? Who should I message if I get lost in the maze of faculties? Will I even meet people I can connect with?

Moving out for university itself is a massive life revolution. Feeling a bit stressed or having a plain fear of loneliness instead of pure euphoria is completely okay. After all, you are leaving behind your high school crew, familiar faces, favorite spots, and home comfort. Suddenly, you land in a place where you know no one, surrounded by a fast-paced, foreign metropolis.

We want to tell you one thing: you are not alone in this.

Most people who are starting their first year of university are experiencing the exact same thing. Every freshman entering the lecture hall in October secretly looks around the room with the same quiet hope: "Please, let someone talk to me". All new students start from the same baseline – they miss what is safe, feel a bit lost, and subconsciously look for a kindred spirit.

Feeling lost at the beginning doesn't mean something is wrong with you or that you won't find your way in a big city. It’s a natural reaction to such a huge change. You have every right to feel anxious about entering a new environment. Just remember that this transitional moment doesn't have to drag on for months. A lot depends on the environment in which you spend these first, most important weeks.

Living on your own or a student residence in Warsaw or Krakow? Where is it easier to build a friend group?

Before the academic year begins, you face a dilemma: dig through classifieds portals in search of a place on your own, or choose an organized space?

Renting an independent studio apartment sounds great and gives a lot of independence, but evenings spent alone with a TV series in a completely foreign city are the easiest way to quickly feel lonely.

On the other hand, browsing random ads for student rooms in Krakow or Warsaw flats is a bit of a lottery. You often end up with random people who simply lock themselves in their rooms, and you pass each other in the kitchen without a word. You return after a hard day at university and land in a vacuum again. In such conditions, building deeper relationships is simply difficult and requires a lot of determination.

It looks completely different when your new address becomes a modern student residence in Warsaw or a comfortable dorm in Krakow. Why? Because here, the community forms naturally, without any artificial pressure or forced conversations.

By choosing such a place, you automatically land in a world where everyone around you is going through the exact same thing. They have the same fears, similar projects on their minds, and... the exact same desire for a break from studying and a chat with someone over a good coffee. Opportunities to meet cool people are built into everyday life here. You don't have to force yourself to search for events in the city or wonder how to strike up a conversation during lectures – you simply step out of your room and you are among your own.

StudentSpace Community – a space where you will immediately feel at home

When we designed our buildings, we wanted something more than just nice interiors with a desk and a comfortable bed. It was about creating a place where you simply want to return after a long day at university – a safe space full of people with whom you can effortlessly connect.

Our motto "Your Space to Belong – study, connect, grow!" is not an empty slogan. It is a promise that from the first day of moving in, you become part of a vibrant, open community where you can truly feel at ease. In such an environment, the fear of a new city disappears on its own, and you gain confidence that you are in the right place.

Integration events, shared passions, and co-living zones – how we naturally break the ice

We know very well that approaching strangers in university hallways can be stressful. At StudentSpace, you don't have to force anything. To start your new journey, we have prepared a calendar of free events right in our residence. All you have to do is take the elevator down to the common areas! Welcome parties, movie marathons, gaming tournaments, sports classes, workshops, and even a Silent Disco are waiting for you.

What's best about it? It’s not a rigid plan imposed from above. In the following months, you and your crew will co-create our shared schedule. Our on-site team will regularly ask you for ideas and support every creative initiative.

Whether you feel like watching a match in the co-living zone, doing a workout together in the gym, talking about music while cooking, or simply sitting with someone on the terrace in the evening – it's all right at your fingertips. The environment and our community animators do all the work for you.

Julia, Sales & Community Building Junior Manager at StudentSpace:

"We vividly remember our first year at university, which is why we do everything to make sure no one feels lonely here. We organize our events so that breaking the ice feels completely natural. Here, you simply need to step out of your room to meet someone to have lunch with, watch a show, or chat after a long day."

Private student residence as a safe base – the balance between privacy and social life

Wanting to escape loneliness doesn't mean you have to be in a crowd all the time. Everyone needs a moment just for themselves, a total reset, or simply absolute silence before a tough exam. By choosing our private residence in Warsaw or Krakow, you don't have to compromise. You gain the perfect balance between a dynamic social life and full autonomy.

Your single room is your private, safe base camp. You have your own modern bathroom and kitchenette here. When you feel like being solo, studying in focus, or simply catching up on sleep after a hard week – you close the door and no one invades your comfort zone.

And whenever you feel like getting a dose of energy and talking to someone, all it takes is a step outside your doorstep to check out what cool things are happening in the common area. You are 100% in control of what you are in the mood for at any given moment.

‍How to survive the first weeks after moving out? Practical tips for first-year students

Theory is one thing, but how do you survive that first, most intense time in a new city without going crazy? Here are a few simple, tested tips to help you quickly get into the student rhythm!

• Take a step towards social media (before classes start) – join your year or major groups on WhatsApp, Messenger, or Discord, but also the dorm's Instagram or TikTok. Often, even before the first lecture, people look for classmates there, arrange to head to university together, or go out for a welcome drink. Thanks to this, in October you'll see at least a few familiar faces in the hallway.
• Don't run straight to your room after returning from uni – we know that after a full day of classes, you only dream of throwing your backpack in the corner. But instead of locking yourself in, take your laptop or a book and head down to the StudentSpace common area. Even if you do your projects wearing headphones, just being among peers makes you part of the environment. Someone will ask for the Wi-Fi password, someone else will drop a casual comment – and the conversation starts naturally.
• Go to the welcome events (yes, even if you feel a bit anxious) – the first days of October are all about integration. Going to a welcome party or a board game night with people you don't know yet requires stepping out of your comfort zone. But remember that at that moment, every student in the room feels the exact same way. Everyone came there with one goal: to meet cool people. Take advantage of it!
• Take care of small, daily rituals – instead of brewing coffee in your room, take a mug and walk down to the communal kitchen or out to the terrace. Ask the person next to you how their day is going or what they are studying. These micro-conversations don't commit you to anything big, but over time they build an incredibly strong network of friends.
• Be kind to yourself – acclimatization is a process. If you don't find your best friend for life on day one, it's absolutely not a tragedy. Give yourself time to get used to the new daily rhythm, the campus, and the city. Everything will come naturally.

FAQ: Moving out for university, dorm life, and building relationships

Is it hard to meet people if I choose a single room in a dorm?

A single studio is simply the best of both worlds. You gain a private, quiet space to study and rest, but that doesn't mean being cut off from the rest of the residents. All social life at StudentSpace takes place in the common areas – kitchens, game rooms, fitness zones, or terraces. You go out there whenever you feel like it, so meeting people is completely natural and up to you.

How does StudentSpace help with acclimatization during the first year?

We do everything to make your start in a new city as smooth as possible. From the first days of October, we launch a ready event calendar – we organize welcome parties, match screenings, movie marathons, and Silent Discos, giving you plenty of opportunities to meet peers. Furthermore, our administration team is always on-site. They are friendly people you can approach with any question – from technical issues to hints on where to get the best lunch in the area or how to commute to your faculty.

What if I am an introvert and moving out stresses me out?

First of all – give yourself full permission to feel stressed, and remember you don't have to suddenly pretend to be the life of the party. At StudentSpace, we perfectly understand that everyone needs a different pace. You don't have to dive into the deep end and go to huge parties. Start with small steps: make yourself tea in the communal kitchen, sit in the co-living area with a book, or come to a board game night where the focus is on the game, not on talking about yourself. Our community is open – we respect your need for quiet and guarantee you will find your space here, without any pressure.

Remember that fear of the unknown is completely natural, but it's up to you how you settle into this new chapter of life. If you want to enter the academic year completely stress-free – without worrying about bills, unpredictable landlords, or lonely evenings – we are here for you.

See what our rooms look like and choose your spot at StudentSpace in Warsaw or Krakow. Bookings for the new year are open, and the best crew is already waiting for you. See you in October!