Hey @Orange_Hare
Thank you for reaching out and being so brave to acknowledge being lonely. It is really hard being an international student I completely understand what you are going through. I am also an international student and I have been here for almost 2 years now. I came here at the age of 18 and was really lost about how to navigate things in a completely new country.
I know how hard it is to make new friends especially if you are introverted and not confident about your English speaking skills. I want to you ask have you tried joining any societies or discussion groups at university? Usually majority of the universities organise discussion groups for international students where you can practice your communication skills and also meet new people in the same boat as you. From my personal experience the more you try to have conversations in English, your confidence on the language will develop and you will feel comfortable with language. For instance, initially I wasn't sure about my English either but I had do a lot of ice breakers in uni which exposed me to a lot of new people and this forced me to talk in English and eventually I made some friends too.
It is valid and okay to feel lonely in the initial months as you are transitioning into a whole new life. I have been through that feeling of missing you old friends and especially family members whose presence provides a sense of belonging. Trust me, I was so stressed and lonely trying to get my life together that I went back to my country after my first semester. After that trip I took some time and braced myself for the new life that was awaiting me.
My suggestion to deal with these feelings of loneliness would be try to make friends that are of your country or can speak the same language you speak this will help you feel some belongingness and also you will not feel alone. This helped me the most I made some friends my country and we talked about struggle and this helped me.
I hope this helps💜
Take care😊
