Starting university can feel like a very daunting experience for a lot of new students. You’re thrown into an unfamiliar situation, often by yourself, and you are far away from home. Freshers & Welcome Week are two of the best opportunities to help you settle in, get comfortable, and to be ready to start your university life and journey!
Halls:
Moving into Halls is a strange experience, it’s usually the first-time that you will be living away from your families and have to be independent in your living situations.
When you arrive at the university, you’ll be directed to a registration desk and receive your keys and other important things like your campus card (it’s important to always have this by your side!).
Firstly, focus on getting your belongings moved in (just roughly for now) so you’ve got everything you need with you. This is a time where a lot of students realise they’ve forgotten to bring pans for cooking or whatever else it may be. There is no need to worry though, as there’s plenty of time to sort this out later on.
** Top Tip: Students can get a 6-month free trial of Amazon Prime which I found really useful for ordering random things I’d forgotten or needed quickly **
Now that you’ve moved in, your Halls flatmates will probably be doing the same or will have finished and inevitably moved to the communal areas (usually the kitchen). Take this time to meet and get to know each other. For a lot of people, their 1st year flatmates become their closest friends, but for others this isn’t the case – and that’s fine as there are plenty of other chances to meet people!
Student Union
Across Freshers & Welcome Week the Student Union (RUSU) will have many different events and activities going on. This is the main student hub on campus; it has everything from help desks, to shops, to hairdressers, and most importantly the ‘360’ where you’ll almost certainly end up for a Student Union night out!
Societies
Freshers Fair is a great way to talk to current students and find out about societies (joining any type of society is must-do at university). Societies are an amazing way to make friends and fuel your interests. Societies allow you to try a new activity, continue a sport you’re passionate about, or find a way of learning about a particular topic.
Course
You won’t typically have studies for the first few days of university, this is so that you can settle in and get a feel for university life before having to worry about your course. Remember everyone is in the same situation, and university learning is very different from school, so it takes time to learn how it all works. As long as you stay engaged and listen, I’m sure you’ll be fine!
Feel ready now?
Maybe, maybe not! Everyone has a unique experience at university, but as long as you get involved with what’s presented to you and explore what’s on offer, you’ll be fine and have a great time!
Thanks for reading! Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Jack Pink