Blog: How to feel like you belong at university (because you do!)

I remember stepping onto campus for my first day at University of Birmingham in September 2023, feeling a bit nervous. New city, new people, new lifestyle. Was I actually ready for university?

I had never lived away from home or tried cooking three meals a day for seven days a week before. People had told me what to expect yet it still felt like I didn’t really know what was coming.

What I realised early on was that this sort of feeling was completely normal. Remember that most people around you – even the ones who look super confident – are figuring it out too.

Getting settled takes time

Even though I had unpacked within a day, I didn’t feel settled in until a couple of weeks later. And that’s okay.

It takes time to feel at home in a new place, especially one as big and full of new faces as UoB. Once I started meeting new people regularly through lectures and societies and got into the rhythm of my new timetable, I felt slightly less nervous about having moved away.

During this time, I made sure that I was still calling my parents everyday, giving all the small life updates to my friends via social media (like going to my first archery session, my first Computer Science lecture, and sharing vlogs around the kitchen and accommodation) which really helped me feel less homesick.

So if you’re not feeling “settled” in week one, you’re not doing anything wrong. It’s normal, and it does get easier.

Don’t let imposter syndrome get you down; you’re here for a reason

Doing Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences meant that in semester one, I was studying Computer Science and Philosophy as my optional modules. In each subject, I felt a bit out of place because I didn’t feel like a ‘true’ computer scientist or a ‘true’ philosophy student. I wasn’t attending all the same modules as my classmates. I wasn’t as quick to pick up programming in lab sessions and I couldn’t initially think on the spot for philosophy seminars so I didn’t participate as much.

Honestly, I wasn’t exactly sure if I was academic enough for the degree I had chosen.

However, these were new skills that I was picking up and I had always loved both of these subjects since A Levels. Over time, I reminded myself of something that’s an important message for you too:

You’ve worked really hard during your A-Levels (or equivalent level of studies) so if you were offered a place by the University, it means that you instantly belong in the UoB community.

Your tutors are always there to help you and I’ve found that attending drop-in hours for professors is the best way to improve and get academic feedback. You could alternatively also email any questions you have! Just because there might be hundreds of you in the cohort, it doesn’t mean you won’t get personalised support.

Go find your people

A great way to meet new people outside of lectures is through societies. Did you know that the Guild of Students offers over 350+ student societies you could join? These range from academic, cultural and political societies, to fanatic, sports and MedSoc as well. A lot of societies will also offer free taster sessions for the first couple of weeks so make sure to make the most of it.

I met someone at the Vale Village’s Freshers Finale and we both went to the archery taster sessions together. Whilst she continued with archery throughout the year and I chose not to, we both started doing Salsa in second semester together and still stayed in touch – now she’s one of my best friends on campus.

You never know which small decision like joining a society, chatting to someone in a lecture, or saying yes to an event, might lead to a genuine connection.

There’s a community for everyone at UoB: academic, cultural, sporty, creative – even quirky, niche ones. Don’t be afraid to explore.

When things feel heavy it’s good to talk

During this new university experience, it’s important that you can speak with someone you trust about your feelings and emotions. Whether it’s academic stress or personal issues, you can always reach out to someone from the University through our Time to Talk portal.

UoB offers lots of support:

In each college, there is a Wellbeing Officer you can contact for support and advice.
You can use the Pause drop-in services to speak to someone about how you feel.
There’s also a 24/7 support line, UBHeard, for direct support over the phone or online.
Plus, there is Guild Advice and the Residence Life Wellbeing Team.

So remember, you’re not on this journey alone – the UoB community is here to support you.

Final thoughts

If you're feeling out of place right now, please know: you’re not the only one. You’ve already done something amazing by getting to university. You deserve to be here.

Give yourself time to find your people, your rhythm, and your confidence. It might not happen overnight, but it will happen. And until then, know that there’s a whole UoB community – staff, students, and services – ready to support you.

You belong here. Truly.