10 Top Tips for Keen Freshers

So you've got your results and you're off to uni - congrats! If you are as eager as I was, you'll listen to my advice and treasure it because second year Angie would give fresher Angie a slap in the face and then sit sunken in the corner in shame/embarrassment.

1. Do NOT, I repeat do NOT write on your uni's freshers page

Leave the making friends part until you actually get to uni, please. When you start, you'll get 'hey weren't you that girl who posted loads on the Facebook freshers page?' and then you'll never live it down. Trust me, I'm still hearing about it to this day. *facepalms*

2. Minimise your luggage as much as possible

You're probably a savvy student who already knows what to pack for uni, but being the hoarder that I am, I couldn't bare to part with my beloved shoes which I haven't worn in 5 years and that treasured book which I haven't read since I was 12. You really don't have a lot of space at uni so take what you use regularly and pack the bare essentials - no, that doesn't include your collection of novelty snow globes. 

3. Take advantage of the freshers fair as much as possible

I made the mistake of arriving late and missing out on all the brilliant freebies (this article seems to be turning into a giant list of my mistakes) which included FREE PIZZA and bottle openers which are essential, obviously. My advice would be dump your stuff in your room, run to the fair and grab 10 of everything. Free notebook? I have several already but at least I've saved myself the anxiety and torment of running out of paper. Hey, maybe you can even sell it on for a decent profit. No shame here.

4. DON'T BUY A FRESHERS WRISTBAND

So you've probably gathered I was a little too keen for uni and went positively insane when tickets for freshers events were released. The big ticket scandal of 2014 when the website's server overloaded meant that I couldn't get a wristband but still ended up spending the same amount of money on tickets to individual events! *sigh* When the time came, I was stuck in bed with freshers flu and couldn't even go to half of them! Freshers events will undoubtedly be better in your second year when you're familiar with everyone and can plan group nights so for the first year just stick to the most popular events and then see what the general consensus is when you get there.

5. Get involved in societies ASAP

One of my biggest regrets was not getting involved in more societies earlier. When you go to a societies or sports fair you get overwhelmed with the amount of societies there are so plan ahead or think realistically - will you actually go to that Taoist Qigong society event when you still to this day have no idea what they do? Join a small handful of societies and actually go to the first socials, as that's when groups start to develop and you get to know everyone; it's a lot easier than joining the society halfway through and trying to fit into a clique.

 

6. Get ahead on your course

This sounds like one of the lamest tips but I would recommend filling in the gaps of your subject knowledge during summer so you're on the right lines for your first year and are not completely daunted during your lectures (but don't go overboard, it's still your summer). I'd especially recommend it if you have just finished your gap year and your brain has had a nice loooooong rest. You don't want to be starting uni wondering what the answer to 2+2 is.

7. Don't stick to one group of people

Being bezzie mates with your flatmates is all fair and well, but sometimes it makes a nice change to have other friends like course mates you can go out with. Heaven forbid, you might even be in the situation where you dislike your flat and have to find another circle - finding a good bunch of people on your course is the easiest option. Uni is all about meeting new people from all walks of life, so why not make the most of it? Think of your flatmates as family; sometimes it's healthy to get away from family for a bit.

8. Keep track of your finances

If there's one thing I did RIGHT during my first year, it's that I kept a track of where my money was going in a handy little spreadsheet, so there was less room for discrepancies. It might seem pernickety and unnecessary but it's amazing how much you can spend when you're not keeping track. If you don't want to spend time meticulously creating a spreadsheet, you can find plenty online usually in the trusty Student Room.

9. Stay safe!

Again, another boring one but probably the most important - freshers is a time where alcohol is flowing which means you'll be at your most vulnerable. Just make sure you don't put yourself in dangerous situations and if you're going out make sure you go out with a big group and try not to split up from anyone because in a dark, dingy club with no signal it's near impossible to find your mates again.

10. Lastly, breathe! 

Living life without parents in a completely new place can be incredibly intimidating, trust me I understand. Remember these things take time and although you might be feeling incredibly homesick and stuck in the deep end, try and establish a routine when you're familiar with everything. For example, after every 9am Wednesday lecture I would go and do my weekly shopping. It's all about finding the right balance between social life and study and once you're in the swing of things it'll be simple. Remember there are always people to help you like residential tutors (if your university offers that), support officers and impartial student run advice centres - it's their job to help you!

Even with all the little slip-ups I made during freshers, I still had a fantastic time making hilarious friends and even better memories (apologies for the cheese).

If you still any worries or doubts, I'd be happy to help - Tweet/DM @funkycrimee

Mad freshers night..........watching Rugrats in the corridor