Making new friends

Report by Sophia R.

Before I left home, one of my biggest concerns was whether I would find new friends at the other end of the world.

Luckily, I decided to live on campus which makes it very easy to meet new people due to the fact that you are constantly surrounded by someone. You usually get to the college the weekend before Orientation Week starts and everybody feels a little bit lost at very beginning. Just be open and step up to a group or other people and everybody will be more than happy to get to know you. I made the experience that at the beginning, people tend to look for someone from their home country, so it is a little bit easier with communication and you are more comfortable around them. But luckily, this feeling of uncertainty usually changes with time, so you get to meet all different kinds of cultures.

But if you are having a hard time meeting people in the beginning, ICMS will support you with that. During Orientation-Week they offer a lot of activities that everybody can attend, such as going snorkeling, doing beach walks, celebrating at the Cocktail party or hanging out at Campus Kick-Off Day. They also organize parties like “Make a Mate” or the Ice-Breaker Party, where all of the new students meet the older students. In addition to that, ICMS has a so-called “Wellness Team”. They support you with any kind of problems – from being sick to feeling a little homesick. The Wellness Team has set up a program called PAL. There are a many volunteering students in it from all different countries, which are there to help if you feel alone and just want to talk to someone from your home country or hang out with anybody. Also, the so-called “Residential Assistants” which live on every floor in the student accommodation are there to make you feel more comfortable if you are unhappy.

But in my experience, there is absolutely no one left out at ICMS. Everybody is always welcomed and will find very good friends – even at the other end of the world.