'I've Been In College For Two Weeks And I'm Fierce Lonely'

For some people, starting college is handy – you go there with a big gang of friends in tow, meet a few new people, and look back on those hallowed months as some of the best of your life.

But let's face it; that's far from the norm. For most people, particularly those who have gone against the grain of their pals and moved across the country, it's an incredibly testing period – one that's full of uncertainty, doubt about whether you've made the right choice...

And loneliness.

This week, one new student user took to Reddit to share his take on how he's been adjusting to college life. And to say he didn't pull any punches would be a huge understatement. He wrote:

I know that I'm being really self absorbed and dull, because I was way better at making friends the first few days, but it just feels like my roommates have all become really good friends and they are iffy around me. I spend so much time worrying about this shit.

When I'm actually in college, theres no one I can hang out with, even though I sit down beside as many new people as I can and chat away. Those don't stick around though. Don't really know what to do.

It's one of the most relatable things you'll ever read on Reddit, and while it's tempting to just say 'Ah it'll get easier', thankfully the users of the social network have been somewhat more understanding and helpful – from suggestions of clubs and societies, to stories of their own loneliness during those difficult days.

One user wrote:

The first week of my second semester, I bumped into a girl in the library who I had chatted to a few times before. We got talking and she invited me to her apartment after to just chill with her and her friends.

I was tempted to say no as I was tired, but I felt too awkward to turn her down so I said I'd go. We stayed at her apartment for a few hours, and they then invited me to go to the college bar with them for an hour or too. I went, they added me to their group chat, and they're now my best friends. It happened so quickly and I often wonder what would have happened had I turned them down.

While another wrote:

Here is a trick I learnt: stop trying to make friends and stop overthinking things. Start getting busy with something other than "making friends".

There is the old saying "life is what happens when you're making plans" when I think that should be "friends are what happens when you're making plans".

It's a heartwarming response, and hopefully the poster is feeling a whole lot better.