Paula

How To Survive Fresher’s Week

  • University
  • Posted 1 year ago

Fresher’s Week can be an overwhelming time for students new to university life. Not only do you have to organise and get acquainted with your new student accommodation, but you also navigate your new timetable, find where you’re supposed to be attending lectures, and, of course, all the clubs and societies to sign up to. Read on to find helpful hints to get you through your first week successfully.

Freshers week or orientation week is designed for you to get acquainted with the university and the campus and get everything in place before starting university proper. You will likely not have any lectures this week but will have plenty of time to explore the university, the town, or the city and get acquainted with the social aspects of university life. 

Attend the Fresher Fair

Around campus this week, there will be so many things to do, and most of it is likely to be centred around one university building, such as the sports hall or student union. Here, there will be a myriad of things to do, including clubs, groups, and societies to sign up to; companies offering free food and merch, vouchers and discounts for local attractions, plus many more freebies.

Get yourself along, on your own or with friends, and take advantage of all the free stuff. It’s also the ideal time to join a group as there will be many newbies just like you, so you won’t feel out of place.

Get Registered

You will likely have registered for your place at university online before you attend. However, you will still need to go to student services or reception to complete more forms and collect things like your new Student ID card. You will be given a newcomer registration pack containing just about everything you need to know to start your new educational adventure.

If you are far from home, it’s a good idea to get registered with a local doctor and dentist just in case you need medical treatment whilst away. Believe it or not, there is also something labelled ‘fresher flu’! This will be rampant in the early weeks of university. It is a feeling of exhaustion and sickness related to lack of sleep, a change in routine, and eating and drinking abnormally in this first chaotic week.

Don’t Drink Too Much

Following the above point, Fresher’s Week is notorious for students drinking copious amounts of alcohol. University freshers will most likely have only turned 18 a few months before attending. Therefore, students are not aware of how much alcohol is possible (or safe) for them to consume and drink-related injuries are common in the first weeks of university. 

Many of the organised events are likely to lead to social drinking in the varied pubs and bars on and off-campus, try to keep your drinking to just a couple so that you can still enjoy yourself and remember what happened the day after! Fresher’s Week and stomach-churning hangovers don’t mix well together and will spoil your very first experiences of true university life.

Go For A Walk

In addition to getting associated with your new accommodation and flatmates, you should also take time out of your busy week to walk around the campus discovering things such as the IT suite, the college library, the support and medical centres, and where all of the buildings are located that you will be studying in when you start attending in earnest the week after.

If you’re new to the area, why not go for a long stroll around the town or city where your university is located? If there is a tourist information centre, that’s a good first port of call, and you can explore the town with fresh eyes. Don’t just stroll the high street but see what attractions and public buildings are on offer, in addition to scoping our student-friendly (and budget-friendly) bars and restaurants. You may have already looked around quickly on open days, but get to know your local area so you can make the most of it.

Fresher’s Week is a time to get your bearings in your new setting as well as taking the first step towards socialisation and integration.

Academic skills

Although there are likely no lectures this week, there are likely to be sessions about academic studies. You will often find that the library will offer tours and introductory sessions on how to use the resources on offer. 

Some departments may also hold introductory sessions that are designed to introduce you to the skills and resources that you will need in your first year and how to access them. For example, a lot of universities now use a platform called Moodle for access to course resources. Introductory sessions on how to use Moodle and other online resources may be invaluable if you have never encountered it before. These are not compulsory sessions but can really set you up for a strong start

Make the most of it

Use this week, without lectures to attend, wisely. You should get yourself up in the morning at a decent hour and get out of your accommodation to find out what’s on offer. You’ll be there for a few years, so finding out early on what’s available will give you confidence that you made the right choice and even save you money routing out those cheap places.

Join us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more updates on how to make the most of your time at university, and stay tuned to our blog for helpful hints aimed exclusively at uni students like yourself. Your Student Guide To Tasty One-Pot Recipes is one of such.

Share on facebook
Share on twitter

Get the latest open day insights. Sign up to our newsletter!

Get Our Newsletter

With our innovative platform, you can make the most of your open day experience effortlessly. Start exploring now and begin shortlisting and booking your next open day experience!

©2023-2024 All rights reserved. Find Open Days Ltd.