Freshers week is a daunting and exciting experience. Make the most of it by following my handy steps to ensure that you survive your first week of student life.
1. Ask everyone’s names.
There comes a time after freshers week where it become unacceptable to keep asking people their names that you met on your first day at university. As you walk down the corridors or when your inside of a lift, find out who people are, it’s acceptable during freshers to meet as many people as you can and don’t worry about the ones whose names you keep forgetting their not worth remembering.
2. Bring a doorstop.
However old you are bring a doorstop to university, the first couple of days are the most scariest and exciting days of your life. Having a doorstop gives your fellow flat mates the opportunity to come and meet you whilst you all unpack.
3. Move in early.
It can be extremely daunting when moving to halls or into a flat. Getting to your accommodation early gives you the chance to settle in before the rest of your flat mates arrive.
4. Be ready for a night out.
It’s always a good idea to get an idea of where the main clubs are so that you can make your way back home in the dark. Try and find where the nearest cash machine is to your halls. A night out is a great way to get to know your flatmates, just don’t get too drunk that you make a bad impression.
5. Remember go to University.
You are there to study so ensure that you go to all your lectures during freshers week, this will give you a good insight for your course and will also help you make new friends.
6. Don’t try to out drink your flatmates.
There shall be plenty of pre-drinking games during freshers but remember we all have limits. There is a lot of pressure to keep up with your new friends – but do you really want to be remembered by the one that vomited and hugged the toilet every night of freshers.
7. Don’t splash your cash.
Getting your student loan is an exciting time, your bank account is full of money, do not join that group of students that splurge all their student loan and end up eating baked beans for the rest of the semester. Just hold back from the spending and ask yourself ‘Do I really need this?’
8. Don’t set off the fire alarms.
It’s not big, not clever and it will annoy an awful lot of people (including those in your halls) Most universities do a weekly fire alarm check, which tend to be at ridiculous times. So do not set them off!!
9. Give people second chances.
Do not judge someone on your first experiences meeting them, remember the phrase ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’. Freshers is a bizarre time of everyone trying to make friends in a very dysfunctional way. If someone seems like a complete arse then don’t judge too quickly they might have not been blessed with the your level of social brilliance. You will be surprised with who ends up being your real chummies!.
10. Quit worrying so much!
The idea of moving away from home is daunting but remember University is supposed to be the best years of your life, so make the most of it.
Feel free to share your own tips and advice below for future freshers.
