Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you’re experiencing your first Freshers!
1. It’s ok to call home – Freshers can be very over whelming, for everyone, even if you’re a party animal it can take its toll on you. There’s cooking for yourself, meeting new people and doing your own laundry (sorry, not trying to scare you)….but just remember it’s ok to call home. Everybody gets a little home sick, and it takes some time to get used to being away. So if the people who can help you get through are the ones back at home, then do it.
2. Just be YOURSELF – It can be nervous meeting new people especially the people you’re going to be living with, but university is the best time to come into your own: whether that be what fashion interests you have, your music tastes or even what you enjoy to eat! There’s thousands of people in university so you’re bound to find people who have the same interests and like the same things, so don’t stress about it! The more you’re yourself the easier it’s going to be to make proper friends.
3. You don’t have to go to EVERYTHING – You may have bought that “Freshers ball” pre to coming to uni or maybe all your flat mates have the ticket, but it doesn’t mean you have to go. There’s seven days so don’t just follow the crowd, choose what you really want to do and don’t feel pressured (realistically seven days straight is expensive and exhausting).
4. Make the most of Taster Sessions – One they’re so much fun, two they’re totally free. Uni’s have so many societies, some are your usual sports try outs then you have other stuff like the Harry Potter and GOT societies which put on some really really cool things. Freshers week is your chance to experience things that you don’t normally go for, who knows who you could meet and what you could end up being good at!
5. You will need some alone time – From a personal point of view, I’m a very outgoing person but I also like to take some time to myself, especially during hectic times. It’s ok to just sit and chill in your room and its also nice to explore and find that coffee shop on your own. If you take a few hours out a day to have time to yourself it doesn’t mean you’re missing out, we can all get serious FOMO, but learning to be ok on your own for a bit doesn’t mean your antisocial.
6. Be cautious of what you’re drinking – This may sound obvious and I’m pretty sure your parents have told you a thousand times, to most people freshers week revolves around drinking and it’s just a reminder to be cautious and take a step back and remember your limits. Drinking is fun (do I love a good drink and party) but it’s also easy to get sucked in to thinking you can play all these drinking games and be completely fine and that you’re completely invincible. Just drink how much you feel comfortable with.
7. It might not be what you expect it to be….or it could be! – We’ve all seen the movies…mostly American ones and we all want our freshers to be like that seen on the screen, yet it doesn’t always turn out that way. But that’s fine, as long as you had a great time it doesn’t matter, we queued up for a club on the first night of freshers then decided we’d all rather just go back and chill. No body knows what to expect, just go with the flow and don’t try to force it, otherwise you’ll end up ruining it for yourself trying to make it something its not.
8. It’s the best time to test our your social skills – If you’re a bit of an introvert freshers week is the best time to brush up on your confidence skills and get talking! Don’t be shy, just be yourself and approach people. In the end most people you speak to in Freshers you won’t ever end up speaking to again, so just get out there and make some chit-chat!
9. Watch out for yourself – At the end of the day you’re in a new place with new people. You don’t know if they’re gonna walk you home or look after you when you’re drunk. So just make sure you know where you’re going and that you’re not putting yourself in danger. Different uni’s have different campus services so just make sure you’re familiar with contacts, and also the Welcome Team’s will be there to help you along!
10. Enjoy it! – Obviously the most important! There’s never going to be another time in your life where you can act more stupid or be as free as you can in freshers week! Have fun and embrace the beginning of University life, remembering to create a week that tailors to you!
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