[Music]

"It's been a real challenge coming to
Australia to study my master's degree.
I worry about doing well in my studies
because I don't want my parents to feel
like they've wasted their money on my
education. I've spent a lot of time in
my room trying to focus on studying,
especially because making friends has
been difficult. People are really nice
once you start talking to them, but
it's hard to express my thoughts
like I would with my friends at home
because I don't know the language well.
I also don't see the same students
around uni all the time, so I haven't
been able to make a lot of friends.
I've been making sure that I go out
and sightsee so that i can experience
some of the local culture though. I've
also joined a badminton group and that's
helped me meet people. I've made a few
friends with people who share my interests
and who I can talk to about my life and
studies, so uni is a lot better now."

The transition from school to university
can be an exciting time of personal
growth and enjoyment for many students.
It's a time to learn a lot of new
information and skills, create strong
friendships, perhaps live away from home
for the first time, and mature and grow
as your own person. However, many
students can find this transition
daunting because of the academic, social,
and emotional adjustments of university.
It can be hard to navigate for students
who've left behind their social network
of family and their friends from high
school or their home country. We are all
social by nature. We desire the comfort,
fun and love that comes with an
attachment to a family member, friend,
or partner. However, many people will at
some point feel detached from others
around them, feel isolated, or might be
unhappy with the quality of their
relationships with others.

Typically, loneliness is seen as feeling
alone and not liking it. Loneliness is
subjective. It's all about a mismatch
between the desired number and quality
of relationships a person has and their
reality. This can differ from person to
person based on individual preferences.
A person with one great friend may
actually be less lonely than a person
with lots of friends. Loneliness can be
social in nature and occurs when social
networks are insufficient or disrupted.
Emotional loneliness is felt in the
absence or loss of a close attachment to
another person or people. Although many
people view loneliness as a temporary
condition or something that can be easily
overcome, loneliness can significantly
affect our health as much as things like
lack of exercise or drug use. Some people
might be more prone to loneliness than
others. Those who are unemployed, 
experiencing financial hardship, those who
find social situations difficult, and those
who feel depressed or anxious are more
likely to report feeling lonely. Loneliness
is a common experience across all age
groups. However, contrary to popular belief
loneliness is, overall, more common in
younger people than the elderly.

If you've been struggling with loneliness
or would like to improve the quality or
quantity of the relationships in your life
here are some things you can try: practicing
your social and communication skills,
enhancing social support, increasing
opportunities for social contact, and
addressing unhelpful thoughts about social
interaction. Good communication skills don't
always come naturally. When interacting
with someone, show them that you're
interested in them by smiling, facing them,
maintaining good eye contact, and actively
listening to them. You can also ask questions
and think of topics to talk about in advance.
Think about enhancing your opportunity for
building social support and interaction.
University is a great place for this.
You can connect to your university
students association; investigate clubs,
societies, sport, and interest groups, and
social events run specifically for students.
You can also try and connect with other
students in your courses. Finally do you
have any underlying thoughts or beliefs
that make positive social interactions
difficult for you? Perhaps you might doubt
your worth or whether you are deserving of
good relationships with others. You may have
thought that others will find you boring or
will have no interest in being close to you.
Perhaps you believe that others will not
understand you or that you don't belong.
Try and notice if you hold any unhelpful
thoughts about relationships and whether
you can challenge any of these. Creating
and maintaining positive social
relationships with others is key in preventing
loneliness. You might want to try talking to
someone who you notice is alone or looking
like they're in need of a friend. This is the
first step in creating a socially inclusive
society and university environment. If you've
been struggling with loneliness or social
interaction talk to a counsellor or health
professional. They can help you with strategies
to help you build relationships with other
people and manage feelings of loneliness.

Thanks for watching.

[Music]