Starting university falls under ‘a new chapter in life’ for many. Moving into a new town, with new people and beginning a new course opens the door for an inundated amount of questions, opportunities and potential challenges. Although this may seem overwhelming, answering these questions and grasping those opportunities is, without a doubt, a positive and fulfilling experience for both you personally, as well as on your life as a whole. Welcome Week is an excellent chance to kickstart your understanding of your new chapter.
The first, most simple piece of advice I would give is gain as much knowledge as you can. Go to each fayre, listen to the online talks, take each leaflet that you’re offered and put your name down for things, even if you are not 100% sure that it’s for you. Doing all the little things provides you with the opportunity to build your university experience into a life which is tailored to YOU.
A huge part of welcome week involves meeting new people and settling in with friends you feel comfortable with. As well as your halls and your course, societies are an excellent way of getting to know like-minded people. Without sounding cliché, ‘something for everyone’ is a phrase that definitely comes to mind when thinking about societies, so do a little research and find what fits you. ALSO, remember – flourishing at something you’ve never tried before is often as, if not more, rewarding as succeeding at a something you already know.
A few more little tips which will ensure the smooth running of your Welcome Week involve… Familiarising yourself with helpful pages, e.g. Me@Reading, Blackboard and the Essentials pages. As well as this, make sure to start following pages relevant to you on social media! This could include pages for societies you’re interested in – find out latest news on trial dates and how to get signed up, uor_campusjobs – perfect for those looking for part-time work opportunities, and RUSU events – find out about what RUSU is putting on for you!
And last but not least… Have fun, enjoy, and flourish as part of Reading’s class of 2020!
Thank you for reading today’s blog! Please do let us know what you think in the comments below!
Emma Steele