Physical and sports activities as a factor in the socialization of first-year university students

the article analyzes physical and sports activities as a significant factor in the socialization of first-year university students within the university educational environment. Physical culture is considered as a social practice that contributes to the formation of interpersonal relationships, the assimilation of norms of the student community, and the development of socially significant personal qualities of students. The relevance of the study is обусловлена the increasing manifestations of social isolation and loneliness among student youth, as well as the need to identify organized forms of social interaction during the period of adaptation to university studies. The empirical part of the research was conducted at Orel State University named after I. S. Turgenev in the 2024-2025 academic year. The primary research method was a questionnaire survey involving 1,054 first-year students representing various fields of study. The results of the study indicate that regular participation in physical culture and sports activities is associated with an expansion of social contacts, increased emotional comfort, and more favorable adaptation to the university environment. A relationship was identified between the degree of students’ involvement in sports activities and indicators of their socialization. The findings substantiate the relevance of developing mass forms of physical culture and sports activities as a factor in strengthening the student community and preventing social isolation.

socialization, physical culture and sports activities, socialization factor, first-year students, events, extracurricular activities