The University of British Columbia

Our first experiencing discussing loneliness with strangers took us to the Student Union Building and the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia.  We selected this location for our first attempts as we expected people to be more open to interviews with strangers in an academic setting, and as we were able to explain that we were graduate students doing a project on loneliness without worry of any perceived elitism alienating us from our subjects.

Though we did get some rejections, and we (at least some of us) were shy to ask strangers to talk to us about their experiences with loneliness, we also got a number of very willing respondents.

Generally, we asked the following questions, however we also allowed for open discussing and for one question to instigate into another:

  1. What is loneliness?
  2. When do you feel lonely?
  3. How do you solve the loneliness?

 

The following interview is with a 3rd year undergraduate exchange student from the UK:

 

The next interview is with a 4th year international undergraduate student from China:

 

This final interview is with a 3rd year student who is native Vancouverite of Asian decent:

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