Taken from [[Source - DCMS Is Winging It on Student Loneliness]] - The [polling](https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/YouGov_DCMS_-_Loneliness_Uni_Students.pdf) (of 1048 students aged 18 to 24 in August) finds that “==meeting new people and making new friends” and “feeling lonely” were the top concerns of students prior to starting their course== – ahead of “managing money” and “course difficulty level” – although “fitting in”, “maintaining friendships” and “feeling homesick” were the next three in the chart. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hap4yc39wxs3f35gfpc7vvqh)) - We also learn that last academic year, ==1 in 4 students felt lonely “always” or “often” (with disabled students, women and LGB+ students all recording higher scores),== and that 4 in 10 students “feel isolated” from their peers at university. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hap4yhsb9wz0dkat9pgngyp7)) - Interestingly, although it’s comparable to the findings in this year’s [HEPI/Advance HE Student Academic Experience Survey](https://wonkhe.com/blogs/average-experience-scores-belie-a-bifurcating-cohort-of-survivors-and-thrivers/), that 1 in 4 figure is significantly higher than the last time the Office for National Statistics (ONS) [asked the question](https://wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/one-in-four-students-are-taking-on-extra-debt/) – it found that one in five ==(18 per cent) students said they feel lonely often or always just over a year ago.== ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hap4yptbs8wv87rf816k7ecw)) - Some [additional analysis](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/18/loneliness-tops-student-worries-health-charities-warn/) of the YouGov polling, for example, found that ==joining a society or club was the most successful intervention – with 42 per cent of those who did this it was the most helpful action they took==. That’s carrion comfort for those unable to afford the socials or who are living so far away as to make said socials inaccessible. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hap50rss8dyarngde7ah6662))