Moving to the Gold Coast as an international student can feel like stepping straight into a movie, and with its never-ending beaches, blue skies and quintessential laid-back Aussie lifestyle, it’s not hard to see why.
But beneath the sunshine and good vibes, many students are navigating homesickness, culture shock and the challenge of building a new support system from scratch.
International students Rykaa and Anup shared with us how it felt to be starting over with friendships in a new country, and the steps they took to create their new support systems.
Start small and work up
For Rykaa, an international medical student from Canada, community was something she wanted to find as soon as possible.
“I moved to the Gold Coast to pursue my medical education, and while I've loved living here, it also came with its challenges. Coming from a very community-oriented background, building connections and feeling grounded in a new place was really important to me,” she says.
Making friends often begins with something that seems simple (but actually often feels really hard): showing up and starting conversations. For Rykaa, it meant learning that small, consistent efforts to make friends were likely to go further than one “big moment”.
“One of my first steps to making new friends on the Gold Coast was consciously pushing myself to step outside my comfort zone,” she says. “I made a deliberate effort to be open to new situations, whether that meant starting conversations during orientation, joining campus events, or simply sitting with new people in class.”
Anup, who moved to the Gold Coast from Nepal to study cyber security, took a similarly direct approach.
“When I first arrived on the Gold Coast, my approach to making friends was simple; I spoke to people wherever I could. On the tram, on the bus, at the beach, even in lifts. If someone looked approachable, I’d start a conversation.”
Anup is also an experienced entertainer, a background that really helped him to feel comfortable breaking the ice with people.
“Being a magician definitely helped, but at the core of it, it was just about being open and willing to talk to people.”
Say yes to campus life
University campuses are full of opportunities to meet like-minded people; you just have to know where to look. Outside of your regular classes, there are orientation events where you can chat to not just your peers but also local business owners and support service providers. There are clubs and societies for almost every interest, and student hubs where you might find a study buddy.
“Griffith University helped support meeting new people by offering a wide range of structured and informal opportunities that made social connections feel accessible from the start,” Rykaa says.
In particular, she found social sport programs and clubs especially helpful because they provided “a relaxed, non-academic way to meet people.”
Anup experienced something similar at Southern Cross University.
“After orientation week, there was a trip to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, which allowed students from different faculties to meet and connect in a relaxed environment. The university also regularly organises on-campus events every Wednesday. These events created consistent opportunities to socialise, meet new students and build friendships beyond the classroom.”
Meeting people through your specific study program is certainly one way to make connections, but try to branch out and attend some of the open events organised by your university, because you never know where you might find your new best friend.
Connect with culture and community
Often, the fastest way to feel grounded is to reconnect with your roots. Cultural groups, faith spaces and community organisations can offer comfort and belonging.
“As someone of Indian origin, connecting with my cultural community on the Gold Coast was an important part of feeling grounded in a new country,” Rykaa says. Through the Gold Coast Indian Society and local meditation events, she built relationships outside of university life.
“The opening of a Hindu temple on the Gold Coast gave me a strong sense of home. It created a space where I could practice my faith, connect with my culture, and meet others who shared similar beliefs and traditions.”
Anup found his Nepali community through social media.
“I initially discovered the Nepali social community on the Gold Coast through Facebook. From there, I started attending cricket matches and photographing players, which gradually led to deeper involvement across different areas of the community.”
He now runs a cultural radio show and founded an initiative called Himalayan Harmony to bring students together through shared culture and creativity.
His advice on using social media to find community is simple: “There are [Facebook] groups for almost everything, and often connecting with just one person can open the door to an entire community.”
Find routines outside your study
Friendships often grow naturally when you see the same people regularly. Try joining a sports club, volunteering, attending local events or signing up for weekly activities.
“One of the most important tips I would give international students is to actively place themselves in environments where connection can happen naturally,” Rykaa says. “This could mean joining a run club, signing up for social sport or regularly attending local events like the HOTA Markets.”
Pick one or two things you genuinely enjoy and stick with them. Shared interests make conversations easier.
Follow your passions
Sharing something you love is such a powerful way to connect with people. For Anup, creativity helped him meet like-minded people.
“I joined Gold Coast photography groups, attended small meet-ups, and even posted about photo walks. That made it much easier to meet people who shared the same creative mindset.”
Small talk is always hard, no matter your background, but when you have something in common that brings you joy, it can be that little bit easier to get the ball rolling.
Be patient, the connection will come
The most important thing to remember is to give yourself time. As hard as it might feel, true belonging doesn’t happen in a week. You’re not doing anything wrong if you haven’t found your people yet.
“The first thing I would say is to be kind to yourself and stay open. Finding your people takes time, and it rarely happens overnight,” Anup says. “Your people may not come from your home country or speak your language, but they are the ones who make you feel seen, understood and comfortable being yourself.”
On the Gold Coast, your people might be classmates, teammates, locals you see on your morning walk every day or someone you meet on the tram. Say hello, show up and keep going back; little by little, it will start to feel like home.
