So that time of the year is upon us again. Former college and sixth form students are preparing for their new Uni lives, and soon they’ll descend on cities throughout the country in a cloud of booze-fuelled excitement and anticipation (with the odd “down it fresher” chant thrown in here and there).
But for the many who move away from their family and familiar surroundings, starting University and being thrown into halls with complete strangers can be daunting.
So to help you through the first week of the best three (or more) years of your life, here are my top 5 tips for a successful and enjoyable Freshers:
Move in as soon as possible!
By now you should have been allocated your halls/living quarters, which is marvellous because now you know where you’re going to be living for the next year. But first you need to move in, and honestly, move in ASAP.
The first few nights can determine the group dynamic. You get to know one another, share stories a wash it all down with a few casual drinks. Missing out on this can make you feel like an outsider and you definitely don’t want that. You want to have the best week or two of your life without worrying about the inside jokes you don’t get!
Keep your door open
Let’s say you move in, and you’re the first there or have no idea if anyone else is there. Don’t shut yourself away! Keep the door open (if you can) so that when your new housemates pass your room, they can pop their head round and it can make that first hello that much easier, especially if you don’t have a decent communal area.
The alternative, of course, is to buy a surplus of beverage of your choice, camp out in the communal area and invite people for a drink.
Buy your freshers tickets/wrist bands
When it comes to buying essentials for Uni life, your Freshers tickets should be right at the top of the list. Tickets sell out quick, and the box office queues will be ridiculously long, so unless you want to line up for hours, I’d order them from the official site and then they’re done.
It also adds to the excitement leading up to Freshers. Read up on the line-ups, the venues, and gear yourself up for some Freshers-style partying!
Try not to spend Freshers with people you already know
The main purpose of Freshers’ Week is technically to settle in and make friends. But what if you go to the same Uni as your mates from home or some other acquaintance you already know? Well that’s easy, don’t worry about them.
It sounds harsh, but you need to make friends with the people you’re living with. It makes your first year easier and makes for a happier environment. Your friends from home will always be your friends. You don’t need to build those bridges, besides, you’re bound to see them out and you’ve got all year to meet up.
Be open-minded – get involved and have a bloody good time!
Themed nights and dressing up not your thing? Who cares, nobody else will! The rest will be out, having fun and taking the piss out of each other for weeks to come, meanwhile the pictures of you are inseparable from any other night, and that goes for the other Freshers’ events.
Just because something isn’t your idea of a great night, doesn’t mean you won’t have a great night! A lot of people would say they “find themselves” at university, which means that trying new things is the best and most exciting approach you can have.
You never know, you might even start to like the fishnets you wore on that cross dressing night…
[Image: theknowledgeblog.co.uk]
What do you think? Do you agree with this advice for Freshers’ Week? What else could new students bear in mind? Have your say in the comments section below.
