Looking for a study buddy? Observer’s guide to finding your Canberra community

By Brianna Elliott

Walking around campus feeling lonely, wishing you had a group of friends you could get coffee with or vent to about upcoming assignments or annoying housemates? Here are some easy ways to expand your friendship group.

Physical (and fun) activities:

ANU Sport has a wide variety of sporting teams for whether you are interested in representing ANU competitively or just want to have a casual, fun game with your fellow peers. 

However, suppose you feel more comfortable making friends in a smaller group setting and in a less intense environment. In that case, Canberra also offers a range of inexpensive physical activities that you can participate in while simultaneously viewing the local sites. 

If you love to be in nature, walking and seeing beautiful landscapes, Canberra Bushwalking Club is the perfect place to do all of this while meeting other like-minded people. In addition to hiking, this group also runs canoeing, caving, cycling, conservation work parties and many other social activities. 

Perhaps you prefer running or fast walking to hiking? Parkrun is a free community event that takes place every Saturday morning in locations all across Canberra. It is a 5 kilometre run in a welcoming and friendly environment, and if you aren’t up for running there are also options to volunteer and spectate. 

Other physical activities that occur both on and off campus, but are more indoor-based are the range of different social dancing and rock climbing groups. For example Blockhaus, a bouldering gym in Fyshwick that is wildly popular with ANU students, which has just opened up a second location in Mitchell.

Brain-teasing interests:

Sport and physical exercise not up your alley? There are still just as many ways you can meet new people and find a best friend, without dropping a sweat. 

If you’re someone who loves to write, whether it be novels, essays, or poetry and want to meet other writers, Canberra Writers is the perfect place to share and discuss your writing wins and woes. 

Alternatively, several places throughout Canberra provide a group setting for you to learn a new language or improve on a language you already speak. This method means you don’t have to be stuck with Duolingo and instead get to have real conversations with others. You can find local language groups through the ACT Bilingual Education Alliance. 

More competitive?

Maybe those brain-teasing activities need a bit more excitement for you. ANU and many Canberra restaurants and bars host board game nights and trivia nights all year round. Ranging from general trivia to specific subjects such as Harry Potter, there is always something for everyone, no matter how niche your interest is. 

This is a fun way to engage with people who also know random, but fun facts, or have the best strategy for winning monopoly. 

Personal hobbies and interest groups:

Regardless of your personal interest areas, ANU Clubs have a social group for every hobby. With over 100 clubs and societies, there are opportunities to engage in groups that are social, educational, cultural and sporty.

From things like the Chocolate Appreciation Society, Democracy Society or even the Taylor Swift Society, there is a club for everyone’s passion. So you are bound to make friends with someone who not only attends ANU but also has the same interests and hobbies as you. 

Clubs and societies are not the only places to meet like-minded people on campus, ANU hosts many on-campus events all year round to get you out of your room and talking to real people.

Alternatively, you can share your love for giving back to the community or helping others through the numerous volunteer organisations throughout Canberra.

Don’t forget the classics:

Many paying jobs also provide the perfect environment for students to make friends. Working with individuals who are similar in age may start with complaining about customers together, but can quickly lead to drinks after work or studying together in Marie Reay. 

Additionally, moving into a sharehouse is an easy way to get to know more people and broaden your group of friends. By meeting friends of friends, your social circle will continue to expand every time your housemates bring another person into your home. 

If you find yourself without a study buddy sometimes a brave step out of your comfort zone will result in a lifelong friend. There is always something that will bring like-minded people together and before you know it you have yourself a big group of best friends. 

Graphics by Annisa Zatalini

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