Adjustment difficulties and loneliness

• Establish routines to structure your days with and take good care of yourself.
• Be active and explore your new surroundings.
• Make sure to exercise. If you for example played tennis in your home country, then consider joining a tennis club here as well. If you are not used to exercising, you can go for walks or perhaps try out a new sport. 
• Try to get as much daylight as possible during the dark winter months.
   

• Create study routines; decide when, where and how you will study.
• Find a balance between studies and free time.
• Be aware that communication styles, learning styles and academic demands may be different to what you are used to. Learn to accept this without judgement.
• Lower your expectations when it comes to your initial academic performance. lt is normal to experience difficulties in terms of concentration, memory etc. during a transitional period and it takes time to get used to different teaching and examination styles.
   

• Meet new people and get to know them better. 
• Create your own support network, for example by joining a 'nation', student union or other student association. You can for instance meet a large number of student associations at the beginning of your first semester by attending the Student Association Fair ('Hälsningsgillet').
  About student associations at Lund University
• Remember that having ’fika’ (going for a coffee) is a good way to get to know Swedes.
• Stay in touch with family and friends back home and divide your time between old and new friends. 
• Try to become aware of your own cultural background (values, traditions etc.) and how this affects you in your meetings with other cultures. Being more aware of your own cultural background can help you when you're trying to get to know and understand a new culture.
• Be aware that adapting to a new culture will likely involve some degree of culture shock. This may be difficult to handle on your own. Don't judge yourself for how you react to this. Talk to friends and don’t hesitate to contact the Student Health Centre if needed.
  Make an appointment at the Student Health Centre

You can make it easier for yourself by acknowledging and accepting your feelings of loneliness instead of criticising yourself, withdrawing or getting fixated with your mobile phone. Remember that loneliness is a common, universal feeling.

Although you may not have any close friends to confide in, friendships can also grow out of daring to approach others. Be bold and try to open up a little to someone you feel confident with.

Start small and begin by approaching people. Say hello to someone new in your halls of residence and suggest going for a walk or having a coffee. It may seem impossible at the beginning, but it tends to get easier if you begin with small steps. Even simple things can make a difference, both for yourself and for others.

Everyone’s situation is different so do not compare yourself to others. For instance, a person’s loneliness may depend on how long they have been studying at Lund University, if they have managed to establish more than superficial social interactions, and if they live alone or in halls of residence. You may not have many social interactions and still feel good or many social interactions and still feel lonely.

It is easy to become fixated with social media and digital technology when you feel lonely. Research shows that humans feel more isolated and excluded when passively scrolling through social media and observing other people’s lives from a distance. In contrast, using social media to reach out to others can make us feel good.

It helps to establish regular social interactions as it means you do not have to muster up the courage every time you want to approach someone.  Some examples may be talking to a family member or going for a walk, exercising or going for a coffee with a neighbour at a certain time or day every week. 

It may also be worthwhile getting involved in something that reflects your interests, such as a social club, student union or sports team. Student life in Lund is unique and offers many different activities and experiences.

• Student life at Lund University: nations, associations and unions
• Student Unions at Lund University – possibilities of getting involved

Doing something positive for others helps to create a sense of purpose and improves well-being, while also increasing social interactions. Get involved in a local voluntary or relief organisation, for example.