Study guide University of Bern

Difficulties in building relationships

Kontakte knüpfen

Starting university dramatically changes your social circle. You will meet lots of new people and build new relationships.

But what's the best way of establishing contact in groups that are often large and always changing?

This is a difficult question to answer, as it depends on your personality and specific situation. However, you may find the following advice useful: Don't forget that most of your fellow students are in the same boat. They're also learning to cope with a brand new environment and asking themselves the same questions about whether they should talk to the person sitting next to them, and whether they should stay in Bern at the weekend or go home to their parents. Knowing that you're all going through the same thing can give you the courage to strike up a conversation and talk about life both in and outside of university.

If you find that you are continuing to struggle with forging friendships, please don't hesitate to book a session with us here at the Counselling Centre.

More information (mainly in German)