Many students join sports teams or academic societies to make friends at university. Katie Anderson chose bell-ringing instead.
The 19-year-old says the hobby has helped her build friendships, learn new skills and spend less time looking at screens.
Katie says bell-ringing is a “very social thing to do” and a good way to connect with people away from her phone.
“It’s nice not having something where you’re sat on a screen all day,” she says. “You get to do something a bit different with your time.”
When she arrived at the University of Lincoln last year, she joined its bell-ringing society after learning the hobby from her partner’s family.
Now president of the society, she wants to challenge the idea that bell-ringing is only for older generations.
Despite being the most digitally connected generation, young people are more likely to experience loneliness than older age groups, according to national data, external.
Bell-ringers say their hobby offers an antidote, bringing people together to learn, practice and socialise face-to-face.
“I love the socialising,” Katie says.
“You’re working with people to create this wonderful sound, but also there’s always something new to learn.
“You get to learn stuff in such a social way, which I just really enjoy.”
