How to make friends when you move abroad for your studies

How to make friends in The Social Hub spaces 

There are a multitude of reasons why people move to a new city or country. From more practical reasons - a study programme, a job or perhaps a relationship – to emotionally driven reasons such as a need for adventure or curiosity to learn about another culture. Starting afresh in a new environment is important for self-development, it allows you to expand your understanding of yourself and others and gives you new perspectives through the people you meet.

At the same time, feelings of loneliness, homesickness and disconnection are totally normal as you begin your new journey. Making friends is a really important way to tackle these challenging emotions. Friends offer joy, support, a sense of belonging and a whole lot more. Our spaces encourage community and connection, from hangout areas to organised events and activities. Activities at The Social Hub are location dependant, but one thing’s for sure: you definitely won’t be bored wherever you are! We have a month-long onboarding agenda of events for newcomers like yourself, so you can get to know people right away.

Here are the top ways we bring people together so that you can feel your best.  

Morning Coffee Dates

Across all our locations, we start the week off with a caffeine and community boost. A Monday morning coffee date brings existing and new members together, a casual way to chat about the weekend and the week ahead. If you’re new, we also offer a tour to show you around and get to know your surroundings. This ritual sets you up right for the week ahead, as you’ll instantly have connected with other people in the building. You and your new friends can take the morning coffee elsewhere as you explore your new city or neighbourhood!

Friends who sweat together, stay together  

Sports are a great way to meet new people and bond over shared interests. Being active is also really important in managing your mental and physical health, which helps boost your confidence and feel like your best self.

Depending on the location, we host classes between 2 - 7 times a week and these activities range from your standard HIIT classes to quirky options like violin yoga (yes, you read that correctly!) Getting involved in sports also helps you create a routine, which is especially helpful when you move somewhere new. Plus, it’s a great way to invite a new friend to join you and then you can get a well-deserved post-workout treat together afterwards.  

Build connections through creativity  

Our arts and crafts workshops are a brilliant connector, allowing you to explore your creativity and share the experience with others. Especially if you’re a little more introverted, doing an activity takes the pressure off keeping a conversation going and instead you can bond through play. Finding time for creativity is an important part of a work-life balance, too.

The sessions are led by a local partner and have cultural relevance to the location in which they're held. The teacher can also be a great contact in your new city, as they’ll have a creative network to tap into. It’s also a way for you to immerse yourself in the culture of your surroundings, creating more of a connection for the place you now call home,

Make friends around food

Food is more than fuel, it’s probably the greatest connector of people and culture that exists. That’s why we host frequent community dinners for our community to ‘break bread’ and share experiences while immersing themselves in local culture. Talking about food is a great icebreaker when making new friends, and allows you to learn more about others.

In this casual dining setting, we’ve had people exchange all sorts of topics; from challenges and experiences, to niche interests and embarrassing stories, to future dreams and goals. There’s space for everyone around the table and we find it one of the best ways for people to feel connected to their new community and environment. The dinners are sometimes co-hosted with a partner or ambassador - widening the network - or in collaboration with another event such as a yoga class.

Activities are location dependant, but one thing’s for sure; you definitely won’t be bored wherever you are!  

Turn daily meals into shared moments  

Aside from our monthly community dinners, our shared kitchen spaces are also brilliant at bringing people together. A shared kitchen is a communal space where you and your fellow Social Hub community prepare meals and share cooking equipment.

Cooking together, sharing meals, and hanging out while making food can help turn your kitchen into a social space where you feel at home. Cooking something from your own local culture is a great way to introduce your new friends to your background, or you can join forces and think creatively about a themed night.

Join our Spanish & Italian Community Kitchens  

In our Spanish and Italian locations, we’ve evolved the shared kitchen experience into much more. Offering a well-stocked kitchen with multiple cooking stations, private storage compartments and a chill area. Cleaned up to three times a day, it’s always ready for your next meal or hangout.

Kitchen Hosts, Floor Buddys and Floor Heroes are people you should definitely get to know in your shared spaces. They’re the ones helping the smooth running of operations - from organising fun events, to keeping the kitchen space in order and offering friendly advice.

At our first community kitchen at The Social Hub Florence Lavagnini, students enjoy homemade Italian cooking with local chef Valentina, known as the “kitchen host.” From sharing stories to preparing traditional dishes like Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe.  

Don't forget...

Make sure you follow us on Instagram, especially the location where you’ll be staying as we regularly update events on our socials. When you download The Social Hub app, you can book yourself on to all kinds of events for free!

And finally… the most important thing when making friends when you move abroad is to just be yourself! You’ll find your people if you stay open and interested in others.