<p>Let me preface this by saying that I am not an awkward or antisocial person. I'm pursuing retail management because I'm good at talking to people. My social life at my home institution isn't crazy fabulous, but I consider myself to have a fair amount of friends. Naturally, I thought my social skills would shine while studying abroad. However, this has not been the case. I am studying at a school in London that has tons of international students, 25 from my US school alone. However, I haven't made any friends yet. I just don't get it! I have tried to go out of my comfort zone and reach out to people from my school, but I haven't connected with anyone. I also live with 4 other flatmates, but again, did not connect with any of them. This has led to me spending a lot of time by myself. I'm the type where if I don't really like someone, I'd rather just be by myself. I've discreetly pushed my way into social events, but they're not even fun because I don't like the people. I'm seriously feel like I'm going to miss out on making friends and just spend 5 months feeling very alone. And for an extrovert like myself, this sucks. I've only been here a week...am I counting my eggs before they hatch? What should I do?</p>
<p>I’d really recommend that you try to branch out beyond the study abroad students from your home institution. </p>
<p>A really good way to do this is to join a society. You don’t say which uni you’re at, but unless you’re somewhere that’s purely designed for study abroad students, there will definitely be societies. If you join one (you can find details on the student’s union; sometimes sports societies are listed separately on an athletics union website or similar), then you’ll find that you have lots of new people to meet, and a shared activity. Having the shared activity means that it’s a lot easier to make friends. </p>
<p>There will be lots of variety on offer - depending on where you are you could learn to row down the Thames, play football (soccer), or volunteer, or bake cakes, or join the socialist students. There are lots of different options available. </p>
<p>Only caveat - the societies will be run by students who are studying there for their whole degree. They’re more than likely to be revising for exams at the moment, so not much will happen until then, but if you wait until exams are over then everything will restart :)</p>
<p>You haven’t made friends in one week so you are going to give up! That is ridiculous and you know that really. No-one else has made proper friends really they are just going out there trying, which is what you should keep doing. </p>
<p>Your issues probably related to culture shock/home sickness as well. Did you truly make no friends after your first week at college or after your first week of high school? Of course you did! This will pass if you give it time.</p>