Studying for finals is finally over, and I feel like I’ve regained some free time. While in Chinese class, a girl whose name I recently learned asked me to grab a coffee. At first, this threw me off. In my opinion, young people in America have a different way of making friends compared to young people in Britain. In America, it’s more common to get to know someone in a group setting, such as going out or getting brunch with a group of friends. However, the students at Manchester seem to prefer getting to know people in a more one-on-one setting. Despite being surprised by the invitation, I always thought she seemed cool, so I agreed and we went for a coffee. Sitting across from each other, we talked about class, friends, daily life and more. Although I felt slightly out of my comfort zone at first, it turned out to be a really nice and intentional way to begin a friendship.

I’ve also noticed that many of the students I’ve met prefer to maintain their friendships through spending time together in real life. It’s not common to communicate primarily through social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram or even WhatsApp. Instead, they’re simply used as a way to make future plans. Overall, I’ve really come to appreciate this approach to making new friends and maintaining those relationships. It has reminded me how meaningful it is to be present with people, and I can’t wait to bring that mindset back with me to Mizzou!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: University of Manchester