As a commuter student, I was a tad bit apprehensive as to whether I would receive a good insight into student life at the University of Reading. I am fortunate in saying that my worries were unfounded, as my experience at Welcome Week was wonderful! If you are a commuter student, I would recommend the following 3 tips to make the best of your Welcome Week experience:
- Be social
RUSU sets up a Commuter Facebook page for all commuting students at the University of Reading annually, so I would highly recommend taking a look, joining & then introducing yourself there before the start of Welcome Week. It can also be a really good idea to try and find some commuter ‘buddies’ that you can befriend, meet up and engage with during the different Welcome Week activities.
- Reach out
Continuing forward with this point, it is important to make sure you are proactive in getting in touch with other commuters! There are lots of other commuter students at the University of Reading, so I would recommend reaching out to anyone you see who shares a similar journey to you and get in touch with them!
Commuting can be a stressful experience at times, so meeting someone prior to the start of Welcome Week who is going through a similar routine to you could really help you both in navigating through Welcome Week together, which then can also lead to a great friendship!
- Get involved
As a commuter student, it might be hard to stay late and take part in the evening activities which are included in Welcome Week, however, the university still hosts a large range of daytime activities that I would really recommend getting involved with. There is a whole variety of activities you can take part in, from learning a new language to Quizzes, Karaoke & more. So, why not take a look and see what takes your fancy?
Conclusion
Although commuting to university can be a very difficult process (getting up for those 9 am lectures can be exceptionally tough), I have found it to be a really wonderful experience. If you follow the aforementioned tips & engage in as much as possible, with the range of activities that are on offer to you, then I’m sure your Fresher’s experience will also be an unforgettable experience!
Serena Kutty