Someday in the past:
One fine day in May 2022, I got an email that said I got selected for my master’s at the University of Tartu, my body shivered and my mother shed tears with happiness and also with the feeling of insecurity that her only son is going to leave the country and stay away from home and her for a while. The day I was at the airport My mother hugged me, and tears in her eyes said “take care, meet new people, make some new friends, be happy and make people around you happy”. My response to her was just a smile with doubt about how well I would manage to get along with new people and stay with them at the university student dormitory. Taking these all things into my mind, I started my journey toward Tartu.
Present day:
It’s been some time in Tartu, and life has been a roller coaster ride with ups and downs and lots of thrills! Meeting new people, making friends, and attending lots of events is the new normal in my life now.
Let’s jump on to the topic of why I am writing this blog post. This blog post can serve as a guide for the best ways and places to meet new people and make some great friends.
University Dormitory:
Start with making friends with your dormitory flatmates. When I started my stay in the dorm Narva Mnt 27, everyone in my flat was a stranger and we rarely spoke. Days passed and I thought it could be me who could make the first move and start talking with my flatmates and cook some food for them and to my surprise, it really worked. We started speaking and sharing our thoughts and helping each other. From that day on we all discussed the things which we are passionate about, helping each other with studies and going out together on walks, and meeting mutual friends. Whenever my flatmates cook some special dish they make sure that I get to eat it and I do the same as well. This was how my flatmates became not only my friends but my family and made the student dorm a home away from home.
For more information about dorm life, Our ambassador Reina has posted a blog giving us an inside look at a UT dormitory, Raatuse 22.
University Campus and Classes:
In most courses at the University of Tartu, there is a lot of Group work, so make sure to help each other in learning the concepts and share the knowledge. You never know, you may end up making great friends for a lifetime.
Events happening around Tartu:
Always keep an eye on the Facebook groups and pages such as foreigners in Tartu , International Student Ambassadors of the University of Tartu, and some telegram students groups (which get created every year for new students) for the events happening around Tartu and register if the event is about something you like, there are high chances you meet people with the same mindset and love towards the passion what you share.
It was my first weekend in Tartu and I saw a food event happening. I couldn’t say no to learning a dish from another culture. The Event was named Ukrainian food: Workshop and tasting. The event turned out to be awesome, I learned how to cook some Ukrainian food and made some new friends.
If you get bored with your studies or daily routine and love parties Erasmus Student Network Tartu has got you covered. They organize some pretty good events and parties for students and cultural events. These events and parties are popular events among students. These parties are conducted in the pubs around the town where you get to meet a lot of new people and make new friends.
Sports in Tartu:
If you love sports and want to play with new people on weekends, there are many sports groups or pages on Facebook such as “Sports in Tartu” and “ESN Tartu Sports”. Just be open and make a post asking for the sport you like and you may find a group with whom you can spend your whole university life playing the sport you like with! This is how I found my cricket club.
Events organized by the University of Tartu:
Don’t forget to check the UT Newsletter emails and advertisements about events on the UT campus such as Hackathons, StartUp day, and so on. These events might not only help you get acquainted with knowledge but may also help you with finding the topics in which you are really interested and they are a great way to meet new people and learn from them. The StartUP Lab and Hackathon which usually takes place in the first month of Academic year helped me in fighting my fears and expressing my ideas with people who I was meeting for the first time.
Volunteering – Be a helping hand:
Events are happening around the town and at the University that may require some volunteers to help in organizing the event. This might be the chance for you to learn some organizing skills and meet up with the event organizers who can help you with your future endeavors.
ISA:
I can also say joining ISA( International Student Ambassadors) was one of the best decisions of my life where I not only made friends but a family. The events we organized as a team and Team building activities made us all members get along very easily and share a lot of memories.
Now I can proudly say to my mom, “ Well I have found good friends and family, and Tartu as my second home”.
