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Campus Conversations is a student podcast brought to you by UCL students and the Student Success Office. We're back for Season 2 — bigger, bolder, and with even more honest conversations about student life at UCL! Hosted by students, for students, this podcast dives into the topics that actually matter to students, from politics and careers to friendships, finances, and everything in between. This season, the conversations go deeper, the debates get bigger, and we’re bringing in more student voices, opinions, and real experiences from across our university. Whether we’re discussing the pressure to succeed, navigating life in London, or the big issues shaping our generation, Campus Conversations is all about sharing perspectives, learning from each other, and reminding you that no one has university life completely figured out. Expect thoughtful discussions, relatable moments, a few disagreements, and a lot of laughs along the way!
00:00:00:06 - 00:00:13:11
Speaker 1
Welcome to Campus Conversations, brought to you by UCL Student Success Team, your go to podcast for all things student life at University College London. We're back to season two and today we'll be talking about relationships, friendships and modern connections. I'm Aman, I'm a fourth year medic.
00:00:13:13 - 00:00:16:11
Speaker 2
I'm a I'm a first year comparative lit and Russian student.
00:00:16:16 - 00:00:19:00
Speaker 3
I'm a I'm a first year physics student.
00:00:19:02 - 00:00:37:15
Speaker 1
So yeah, as I said, we talk about relationships, friendships and modern connections today. So on our table we've got a bunch of news articles and some questions. Go with them. You ready? Yeah. Let's see what's up first. So a very topical one here. According to the Guardian, there's a growing number of people forming emotional and romantic bonds with AI chat bots like replica.
00:00:37:21 - 00:00:59:20
Speaker 1
One woman woman says that their bond deepened over time thanks to the AI's memory and personalised responses, so much so that she designed a tattoo to symbolise their connection. So I can, question how do you feel about romantic relationships with AI? Should this form of partnering be seen as be seen as a harmless and positive alternative to real life dating, or is a dangerous and empty form of companionship?
00:00:59:22 - 00:01:02:20
Speaker 1
It's a very big jump in that question. So yeah.
00:01:03:00 - 00:01:26:23
Speaker 3
It's a nice way to start the podcast. I feel like there is nothing normal about that. I feel like it's going to get really dangerous. I mean, like, as students, we use AI in like an academic way. But I feel like beyond that, like a romantic relationship is just taking it too far. It's not realistic.
00:01:27:00 - 00:01:39:06
Speaker 1
I don't I don't trust the AI for academics either. Really take a hard stance on the AI. Wow. I just don't. You actually lose faith in it. I really don't have it. Even like the Google AI summary, I don't know why. I don't like looking at that.
00:01:39:08 - 00:01:41:00
Speaker 3
Upsets me. Exactly.
00:01:41:00 - 00:01:42:24
Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. What do you think about.
00:01:43:01 - 00:01:56:14
Speaker 2
I was just going to say. I think it sort of, you know, it's a bit of a dangerous line to cross, you know, when you can't tell the difference between reality and, like, what's not real. It's a bit, you know, dangerous for a person to do, I guess.
00:01:56:16 - 00:02:11:20
Speaker 1
As a symptom of, like, a wider issue and the fact that people need to seek out this relationship with an AI because it's it's not just hurtful. It's the world around you that's not giving her what she needs. I guess. Do you agree that it's an empty form of companionship?
00:02:11:22 - 00:02:12:22
Speaker 3
Yes.
00:02:12:24 - 00:02:30:17
Speaker 2
Do you think? I think so, and it also speaks volumes about the person participating in it. Because for you to have no other options, then, I mean, the AI is what you design it to be. And for your standards to be that high that no person can attain to them. But the AI that kind of, you know, speaks about you more.
00:02:30:19 - 00:02:47:09
Speaker 1
I feel like maybe playing devil's advocate here, but I feel like there is it's not entirely empty if the person has a connection, some sort of feelings, if like, I don't agree with what I'm saying, I'm, I'm playing devil's advocate. Like the I guess mBTI is probably like very it's slightly further on the spectrum of like that's something.
00:02:47:09 - 00:03:05:15
Speaker 3
That is really one sided. And it becomes like really dystopian if you think of us like a something that you would read about in a fiction book. I feel like it's not empty in the sense that, yes, the person feels something, but it is more empty in the sense that the other side is up to the. Like there's a robot.
00:03:05:15 - 00:03:09:12
Speaker 3
Like there's actually a line of codes behind that side.
00:03:09:14 - 00:03:17:00
Speaker 1
What would you do if, when you, your friends was dating an AI? But.
00:03:17:02 - 00:03:37:07
Speaker 3
I would call her student advisor. Any suggestions for this person? Now, I would probably, like, sit them down, jokes aside, and be like, are you okay? We can talk about it. You don't need someone to feel happy. I feel like that's something that we should understand as a society. Like, you don't need someone to feel happier about your life.
00:03:37:07 - 00:03:54:06
Speaker 3
And if you are successful. But like, if you have a good relationship with your family or like the if you want, if you have the relationships that you want with your families and friends. I feel like that should be enough. You shouldn't, like, find a way with AI to feel good about your romantic relationships.
00:03:54:08 - 00:04:09:14
Speaker 1
Bigger than I think people in the, realise they have a relationship with themselves, and people just like people are too scared of doing things alone. I love a good solo day. I love just going on doing something alone because at the end of the day, it's you and you like you need that relationship before you have anything else.
00:04:09:16 - 00:04:19:24
Speaker 1
I think that this fear of doing things alone and being alone is why so many people go to AI and go to non-human forms of interaction. Yeah. What would you do with the friend?
00:04:20:01 - 00:04:20:20
Speaker 3
I would probably.
00:04:20:20 - 00:04:33:21
Speaker 2
Like set some sort of screen time on their devices. Surely if you've got enough time to be talking to an online bot for so many hours, you have just as many hours to, you know, socialise in real life. I just don't think it's healthy at all. Yeah.
00:04:33:22 - 00:04:36:01
Speaker 1
Any other thoughts on that?
00:04:36:03 - 00:04:43:09
Speaker 3
No. I feel like I should stay as like a useful resource instead of a companion.
00:04:43:11 - 00:04:47:19
Speaker 1
I think that we should we want to like be like. Yeah. Yeah that was, that was a good.
00:04:47:22 - 00:04:50:02
Speaker 3
That that was okay.
00:04:50:04 - 00:05:13:16
Speaker 1
Okay. So next a newspaper clip. According to new research by Ultimo Bank, around 33% of UK university students say that they feel very lonely, with a significant number admitting they often spend whole days without meaningful in-person interaction. While many students find friends by living in halls or by joining clubs and societies, a survey survey by One One Care found that nearly 1 in 6 students don't have a true friend, a university.
00:05:13:18 - 00:05:28:24
Speaker 1
That's that's very heavy already. So the question how easy or difficult have you found making friends at university? What are the challenges and how would you recommend making connections? It's a very good one for you to us. First is because you've had like a whole team at this point. So what's your thoughts about.
00:05:29:01 - 00:05:54:22
Speaker 3
As one does? I joined some of the group chats on Instagram and I had like an initial friend group from that, I feel like, is it the best way? No, but it's some way to get into like friendships in university. And then as you go out more, you'll meet more people. And when the lectures started, I feel like everyone in my course, we just like trauma bonded.
00:05:54:24 - 00:06:22:10
Speaker 3
We just from a bonded. All that was, they were like, what did you get for this question? So I feel like if you if your course is like friendly enough because I heard like some courses, no one knows each other's names. Like no one ever see the whole like, like grouped together. So I feel like if you have a nice, friendly environment in your, like, department, it's really easy to just like, find people who are like you and with the same interests.
00:06:22:10 - 00:06:34:03
Speaker 3
Obviously, if you're in the same department, you have the same interests to an extent, then you can just build up from that. But making a friend and making a true friend is like really two different concepts. I feel like.
00:06:34:05 - 00:06:35:01
Speaker 1
Okay, so.
00:06:35:03 - 00:06:35:08
Speaker 3
I'm.
00:06:35:08 - 00:06:55:18
Speaker 2
Just gonna say, like, I think it's only as easy as you make it yourself. No one's going to come flocking to you. You have to put yourself out there and speak to people. It's not just going to happen if you don't put any effort into it. And I feel like when it comes to a lot of people just like turn up and they're like, oh, I'm going to have a lot of friends, but they don't, you know, try and reach out first.
00:06:55:18 - 00:06:56:17
Speaker 2
So yeah.
00:06:56:19 - 00:07:11:15
Speaker 1
I think it's really funny you say that because like, that's kind of how I got my friend group. I was standing outside a lecture in first year, and my, someone walks up to me and she says she thought that I looked sad. So she walked up to me and she's, like, talking to me. So I sat with the for the rest of the lectures and then other side gathering of the people.
00:07:11:15 - 00:07:26:11
Speaker 1
So I did nothing, and I got the friend group I'm still with four years later. I'm not saying that everyone at home should rely on that when they come to university, but you can look out. Sometimes you look sad and I was inside. For the record, I don't think I was sad, I think she just misunderstood what I was going through.
00:07:26:13 - 00:07:41:13
Speaker 1
But I do agree that it's very much, you have to put the effort in and just push yourself. I think everyone needs to have a little bit of extrovert energy at the stall. You know, they don't keep it going because it's going to burn you out. But like, at the start, just, like, pretend to care about every single person you see.
00:07:41:17 - 00:07:45:20
Speaker 1
Do you think you've met true friends or made true friends at this point?
00:07:45:22 - 00:08:07:08
Speaker 2
Right. Well, my definition of a true friend is all of my friends that I grew up with, I've known since pre-school because everything was like so close together in my town that I've known everyone since we were literally in diapers. So, I feel like it would take me like a year or two to consider someone a real friend, purely because of, you know, how long I've known everyone else in my life for.
00:08:07:10 - 00:08:08:15
Speaker 2
But yeah.
00:08:08:17 - 00:08:21:12
Speaker 1
I mean, it does make it tricky then. Like, it's a very hard comparison between I've known them, for one, they know everything about me. They've been through everything with you. Then how connected I used to with those conference. How often do you like interact with them? Talk to them every day.
00:08:21:14 - 00:08:38:03
Speaker 2
I talk to them every day and like I FaceTime everyone every day. So it's kind of like a bond you won't lose, I suppose. I mean, a lot of people do end up losing their friends from home when they move away, but I think it just comes down to the type of people you are. So yeah, yeah.
00:08:38:05 - 00:08:57:05
Speaker 3
Yeah, I feel like it's been such a short time, but it does actually feel like I've known them for a lifetime, which is not bad, I feel like, but I feel like it's too early to decide on anything. I made really good friends. I know they're really good friends, but true friendship is like something so sentimental and you need to spend more time.
00:08:57:07 - 00:08:59:23
Speaker 3
Go go through some milestones together.
00:09:00:00 - 00:09:16:22
Speaker 1
Yeah, I think milestone is like when you go through exams season and you're like all struggling together. That's the true uni. Like second year exam season, especially for medicine, is one of the hardest points of the whole six years. Like it's there's a big drop out rate, there's a big retaking rate because of second tier exams. But it's tricky.
00:09:16:24 - 00:09:47:12
Speaker 1
And I look back at the exam period and I loved it so much because I was with my friends in the library 9 to 9 every single day for like a good month. And it's just such a magical like thing to go through together. Like it's it has like all the bonding that you had with your home friends, like it's such a condensed thing and it's you won't ever get that experience in any other context in life, because when also you doing something so like intensely emotionally, like charged like that for such a condensed period of how bigger your guys's courses and how like all your modules with everyone in your class, like yours
00:09:47:13 - 00:09:49:03
Speaker 1
and especially.
00:09:49:05 - 00:10:10:22
Speaker 2
Russian is quite small, I think, maybe six, 40 to 60 people taking Russian ab initio. So it's quite small, but there's a group chat with every single person taking Russian and it because the teachers made us make it so that's quite nice because we all get set the same homework. And then the classes are about 7 to 8 people each.
00:10:10:24 - 00:10:28:12
Speaker 2
But that like mixed up every single day. So you get to speak to everyone and then comparative literature is actually quite big. So I haven't had a chance to speak to everyone on the course. But the seminars are about 20 people each. So it's like you do get a chance to speak to the majority of people.
00:10:28:17 - 00:10:30:01
Speaker 1
It's quite nice. So you got like but.
00:10:30:03 - 00:10:30:14
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00:10:30:19 - 00:10:35:14
Speaker 1
But quite like it's like your home friends, let's get you in print together. You have to look closely at the.
00:10:35:16 - 00:10:36:13
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00:10:36:15 - 00:10:53:00
Speaker 2
And like I'll see like the complet people four times a week during like lectures and seminars. And then I'll see the Russian people about seven times a week because I have, what's it called, two lessons on Friday, two lessons on Thursday, and then one on every other day. So it's quite a lot.
00:10:53:02 - 00:10:54:00
Speaker 1
What are you.
00:10:54:02 - 00:11:16:09
Speaker 3
Oh, we are like 350 people. But the good part is we are all in the same lectures because all of our modules are compulsory in year one, so we look like a bunch of sheeps just migrating from one building to another building. It's so funny. We just block the whole road. We have like multiple group chats. We have like one general physics group chat, one woman and just, group chat.
00:11:16:11 - 00:11:33:18
Speaker 3
And then we have like smaller group chats that you have with like different people. And I feel like it's such a nice way to communicate with everyone because in those group chats it's not always like really academic. Like if someone is going somewhere, they're like, oh guys, I'm going to this place. If someone wants to join, like join.
00:11:33:20 - 00:11:34:21
Speaker 3
And then we just like show up.
00:11:34:23 - 00:11:37:04
Speaker 1
Like, yeah, people are doing that.
00:11:37:06 - 00:12:00:24
Speaker 3
I mean, there is like it's that happens more in the women in Stem group chat than physics group chat. But for the Physics Society, even those like Physics Society, people just from physics show up even though they're not part of society. So we do also discuss that. I don't know about your department. My department has a lot of socials.
00:12:01:01 - 00:12:24:04
Speaker 3
There's one going on right now. It's like free pizza, free drinks, free cookies, board games, and there's a talk going on on the side. So that happens like every other week. So like we actually get to just like have free food and friends. And if you don't even if you don't have friends, you can just show up to the social and make friends.
00:12:24:06 - 00:12:50:08
Speaker 1
To be, run over to our campus con confession to see on the topic of love. So here's a quote. This is not from me. I've made quite a few friends during my time at university, but I'm experience a bit of a culture class. Most of my friends are international students and seem really wealthy. It's great because I get to get to meet people from all around the world, but truthfully, I can't afford to eat and shop at the places that I do, so I always make an excuse not to hang out.
00:12:50:10 - 00:13:00:08
Speaker 1
They don't make me feel away, but I can't help feeling bad about it. That could have been for me, actually. I see what they mean. Yeah, you're nodding very passionately.
00:13:00:10 - 00:13:25:00
Speaker 3
No, I just saw a lot of different people in UCL. Even when you walk around campus, it's like really obvious who is really wealthy and who is not really wealthy, but I feel like that shouldn't sit like a, like brick wall between a friendship because like, I think it mentions that they don't feel the person left out.
00:13:25:05 - 00:13:29:24
Speaker 1
Yeah. They don't. Then the friends are making them feel left out, but they do feel something that's part of it.
00:13:30:01 - 00:13:51:20
Speaker 3
So I feel like it's great on the friends part that they don't make like the person feel left out, but obviously it's going to happen and university is such a diverse place. So like, it's like people from everywhere, anywhere, and especially with international students, considering the international fees, it kind of makes sense.
00:13:51:22 - 00:14:07:20
Speaker 1
I I'm fortunate enough to one have a rich friend and to have a good rich friend where she's never made me feel like anything like this, thankfully, I think is very much again, like a choice of who are you choosing to be friends with? Because sometimes you can't go well again with this person that they have chosen, right?
00:14:07:22 - 00:14:09:24
Speaker 1
You can't help the feeling sometimes because.
00:14:10:01 - 00:14:24:02
Speaker 3
I can't really. I don't have crazy rich friends. So I think, I think we're all like, don't say that. I'm very we're all like on the same level. Like we cannot afford lunch all together. So we just sit in the common room and wait for lunch to pass. So you should.
00:14:24:05 - 00:14:27:12
Speaker 1
Do, do you? What do you think?
00:14:27:12 - 00:14:48:20
Speaker 2
Well, I just think, you know, you shouldn't live beyond your means to try and impress someone. There's no, you know, reason to do that. And I feel like you should just be authentic to yourself if you can't afford the things that you see everyone else affording, you know that's how it is. You shouldn't try and figure out and like, oh, I'm going to like, not eat for a week and like, go out and do this.
00:14:48:20 - 00:14:50:12
Speaker 2
You shouldn't do that. So yeah.
00:14:50:16 - 00:15:03:09
Speaker 1
Yeah, I think it's you just have to own like who you are and be proud of that. I have one friend. I hope she's not going to listen to this, but, I remember she went out with people in a restaurant, but she didn't want to pay for the food, so she brought Tesco meal deal with her.
00:15:03:14 - 00:15:18:22
Speaker 1
And then I think it's so it's so good that she was, like, able to empower us off and do that because a lot of people would just be like, oh, I guess we'll pay for all. I guess I'll like bite the cost. But like being willing to accept the you are different than just owning that. It's very it's a hard thing to do for sure, but it's a good thing to do.
00:15:18:22 - 00:15:23:05
Speaker 1
I think. Yeah. What do we say to this person whatsoever.
00:15:23:07 - 00:15:46:03
Speaker 3
Don't change who you are. But I mean, don't scrap your friends as well. Like, keep them because I don't think they're bad people. It sounds like you guys get along well, but you can also look for people who you can hang out with. That is, like, around the same, like, budget with you.
00:15:46:05 - 00:16:05:01
Speaker 1
I think it is like, it is good to surround yourself with new and different people, but sometimes you need to just look at someone and see a similarity that you don't get otherwise. Like I in second year, I like got really into a widening participation scheme in medicine. I saw a group of people who are like, well, you are like me and it's like you need that connection.
00:16:05:01 - 00:16:15:08
Speaker 1
Sometimes you need the sense of like familiarity. So still be that friend, but try and seek out other places where you can find the connection and find something that grounds you. But yeah.
00:16:15:10 - 00:16:30:18
Speaker 2
I mean, they mentioned they were good friends. So I feel like, you know, if they're making these plans or out your budget, I mean, you can step up and suggest some different plans maybe. Oh, we can go hang out, we can have a picnic. We can all bring, like, some fruits and stuff. Nothing has to be expensive for it to be fun.
00:16:30:20 - 00:16:46:20
Speaker 1
Thanks for tuning in to Campus Conversations. We hope you had as much fun listening as we did chatting. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like and subscribe on our various podcast streaming platforms. Link in the bio. We'll be back again with more stories, ideas and the bits from across UCL. Exploring the people and perspectives shaping a university and the world.
00:16:46:22 - 00:16:48:19
Speaker 1
Until next time on campus conversations.