Wizz App Survey Reveals 7 Things First-Year Students Feel but Rarely Say
by on 13th Nov 2026 in News
Wizz App, the social discovery app for young adults, published new findings from a survey of 12,402 US college students aged 18 to 24 on their first year of college and how they make new connections. The survey, conducted in August 2026, found that the feelings students keep to themselves in their first months on campus are shared by most of their peers.
The seven findings
- Shyness is close to universal. 60% said shyness or nerves stopped them from introducing themselves to someone they wanted to meet in their first week. For 42%, it happened more than once.
- The first word is the hardest part. 63% didn’t know how to start the conversation, and 30% weren’t sure what to say after "hi".
- Students share the same fears. 43% were afraid the other person would ignore them or be unfriendly, and 35% didn’t want to seem "desperate".
- "Everyone already has their people" is a common feeling. 34% held back because it felt like everyone else had already found their group.
- Most students have no plan. 64% had only vague ideas about how to make connections on campus, or no plan at all.
- Apps are where many connections start. 52% used a social app to meet people on campus, and 74% said an app helped them make a close connection.
- Confidence grows. 48% said an app gave them significantly more confidence and another 37% said somewhat more, a total of 85%.
The fourth finding points to a gap between perception and reality: when a third of students believe everyone else has already found their group, many of them are still looking for the same thing.
A first-semester cheat sheet
Based on the findings, Wizz App recommends that students lead with something they have in common, such as a class, a show or a song; have a follow-up question ready for after "hi"; remember the other person is probably just as nervous; and say yes to the unplanned invitation.
Wizz App was built for these moments. Users are age-verified at sign-up and only meet people within their own age group, there are no likes or follower counts, and every conversation starts with a request the other person chooses to accept.
"A third of students told us they held back because it looked like everyone else had already found their group. That means a third of campus is looking for the same thing at the same time," said Alexandra Ryabova, head of operations at Wizz App. "Gen Z wants to connect. What they need is a low-pressure way to break the ice, and that’s what we built Wizz App to be."
The full survey results are available on the Wizz App blog: read the 7 findings. Wizz App is free to download at wizzapp.com/download.
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