Meeting people at UNCW

Meeting people at UNCW

Student report by Jenny G. – Meeting people at UNCW

One of my concerns before arriving in Wilmington was that it would be hard to find new people to connect with but very soon it was clear that this concern was unreasonable and meeting new people was way easier than expected.

All international students can join a group on facebook which is definitely worth doing. I texted two people beforehand because I saw their posts in that group and they soon became two of my closest friends so my tip is:  don’t hesitate to reach out to people. Generally everyone who is studying abroad is in the same situation as you are and therefore very open to new connections. 

UNCW is also doing a lot to help internationals connect by offering all types of events and get togethers. By doing a lot of group projects in class you also tend to get closer with your classmates and most Americans are very open to new people and especially as an international a lot of people are interested in getting to know you and your story.

At UNCW there are a lot of clubs for different sports and other interests that offer a great opportunity for getting to know people who care about the same things you are.

 

Roommates

An other great way of meeting new people is by living with roommates. Of course there is always a little bit of luck involved but in case you should have concerns with the people you are living with the University is taking these concerns very serious and will help you find another accommodation on campus.

I personally lived with two Americans who helped me settle in our new home and offered a lot of help.

 

Mentors and host families

Most international students had a mentor who is also a student at UNCW and functions as a contact person and friend who tries to make your transition as easy as possible. Usually one mentor had more than one mentee so the mentees themselves were able to connect through that as well.

UNCW also offers connecting international students with host families from Wilmington. The idea is that you experience what life is like for families from the area and you get to have someone who can show you around and help with whatever comes up. The only difference from host families that you know from exchange years during high school for example is that you don’t live with your host family but rather meet them whenever you feel like it.