Ways to Make New Friendships After Arriving In Australia
Getting into the swing of things and making new friends that are safe and make you feel comfortable is extremely important when you have come to study in Australia. Australia is a very safe country, but it is still important to take care when looking for new friends, and making friends that will also be beneficial to the reason why you are here. If you are here to learn English and develop your career, here are a number of options.
Your consulate. Depending on your consulate, they will probably have monthly events or programs that you can join. It is important to make friends in the right places, and it is also important to make friends from your home country that have experience in Australia.
Study groups. Making sure that your friends are studying the same as you, will be highly beneficial to your studies and your ability to communicate. If you are studying marketing courses, look around at your school for study groups in that area, for example. Sometimes we can feel shy and find it hard to introduce ourselves, with a topic at hand that is a common goal, it can be a good framework to be amongst other people. You know that you belong from the word go.
Internet. Just like everywhere else, making friendships through the internet can be a very good way to get to know people without exposing yourself too much at the beginning. More and more people are taking advantage of social networking, and developing relationships well before they meet someone. This can be very effective and a good way to meet others with similar interests. Just like any exercise on the internet it is important that you take care to protect yourself and your information. Scammers are always out there.
On campus. Any activity on campus will be easier than going straight out into the rest of the world. There will be other students from a variety of countries that are in the same situation as you. Making the most out of the variety of activities that your school and institution has on offer is highly recommended for early arrivals. Staying safe and making friendships inside your peers will make you understand that you are not alone.
Getting out and about. If you are in a Australia for study, it is also important that you get out there and see some of the country. Being stuck inside your school and inside a small group of people may not lend itself to a full experience. Getting out and looking around at the country, can be a great way to develop your relationships. There are many affordable ways to travel that are safe and there is a good chance that you will meet others from overseas. Taking the time to see some of the country, either with backpackers and other affordable school organised travel, can be good for your confidence and good for the way you feel.