The Loneliness Epidemic: What It Is and Powerful Ways to Avoid Feeling Lonely
Loneliness. Something that everyone experiences on different levels, in every walk of life and in every ‘season’ of life.
You only have to Google loneliness to see the vast number of news reports recording STAGGERING rates and coining the term an ‘epidemic’ of loneliness in the world. And what is truly saddening, is that this is happening in a world where we are more connected than ever, with people being reachable on every perceivable platform.
People say it can show up in a crowded room, a family gathering, a busy office and most recently even Universities. At Cosmic Universe, we have been working closely with universities up and down the country, who are all reporting a sharp increase in ‘Student Loneliness’.
Gone are the days of a communal kitchen in halls, whereby everyone cooks together, catching up on the day (or the night before!). Students are using services like Deliveroo to grab their food and retreat back to the sanctuary of their rooms in quiet solitude.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love a bit of ‘me-time’, however social interaction is SO important and is what it is to be human after all!
However, whether you are relocating to a new place for a job, or like so many university students, to do one of the most challenging parts of education in your life, loneliness is BOUND to creep in. With a world where TV is at your fingertips, you can have any cuisine of food delivered to your door within 20 minutes and you can talk to home at the tap of a button, the art of connecting with others in person is becoming a lost art.
Those deep conversations sat on the communal sofas into the early hours have disappeared and even the famous’Club toilet Chats’ us girls are SO fond of seem to be slipping through our fingers in the place of people attached to screens.
But what happens then? When people look up from their screens, life has passed by and then suddenly you are still alone, as you were when you buried your head in your phone and you are left feeling that emotion we all know so well, feeling lonely.
So I present to you a wild concept. Connect with others. Have your Deliveroo in the communal area and pop your phone to one side whilst you eat.
Go to mixer events at your university, in your new city or join a club. And hey, you might end up making some new friends, a future business partner or even a love interest!
We are seeing an outpouring of love for our events at universities as we are delivering a way to communicate with others that feels safe and familiar. Student Loneliness is a myth at these events. You can use your phone to enjoy the Cosmic Fusion App, however you get to also meet people IN REAL LIFE! With a variety of other icebreakers available to enjoy (if you want), we are making a change to the way people connect and we think this way will stick.
And if you STILL feel lonely, remember there is ALWAYS someone you can talk to. Whether it be a family member, a friend (new or old), a uni rep, a friendly bartender or coffee shop barista, or if you are at one of our Love at First Sign events, our incredible hosts!
Lonely doesn’t have to last, it’s natural, yes, but doesn’t have to be forever.
Recent stats on Student Loneliness
Recent data shows that loneliness among university students remains a serious and widespread issue. According to a 2025 survey by HEPI and Advance HE, over 60% of students in the UK reported feeling lonely at least once a week; only 3 % said they ‘never’ felt lonely, while 6 % said they felt lonely ‘always’.
