Blog By: Jonathan Sanderson, Current Student
Attend the Freshers Fair
The Freshers Fair is a great chance to network and meet like-minded new students- you’ll see a vast array of societies and clubs ready to enroll you and share their adventures, and to point you in the right direction with deals and offers, both on campus and around the city.
With so much going on, the Freshers Fair is usually spread across several large spaces on campus so give yourself time to explore- and come prepared to carry lots of freebies back home. You can expect anything from goodie bags, t-shirts, pens, pizza and drinks from a wide variety of local businesses and organisations, as well as the clubs, societies and activity groups you’re interested in joining- we strongly recommend you check out the list of societies on offer as there is always a wonderful and diverse selection to choose from, and you’re sure to find some of your lifelong friends this way- there is no pressure, and you can participate in any of these as much or as little as you like.
Do your first weekly shop
You’re gonna be doing a lot of exploring and partying in Freshers Week so it’s always best to make sure you have some tasty treats on hand to keep you firing on all cylinders- most cities have a great selection of supermarkets close such as Morrisons, Waitrose, Tesco’s and Sainsburys, as well as a vast array of corner shops to suit all needs- many stay open until 11pm or later so no biggie if you’ve run out of milk and desperate for a cuppa before bedtime.
Attend as many Freshers Events as you can
Every city has a vibrant nightlife scene with styles of music and clubbing to suit all tastes, and many of the best nights are run by students themselves- our own tip would be to check your Freshers groups and find out where 2nd and 3rd years go on a regular basis. We highly recommend that you buy a ticket from IDGAF as you’ll have a week of great parties in one purchase and priority entry & freebies throughout the week- the undoubted king of tickets in your city – run by students and graduates, it sells out in advance every year and is hugely popular.
Tickets – www.fatsoma.com/idgaf
Register with a GP
The chances are you’re not gonna be tip-top all the time and you might need to see your Doctor for some help, treatment or advice, so make sure you sign up with a new GP for when Freshers Flu kicks in.
Explore the city and beyond
You’ve chosen one of the most beautiful cities in the country to live in, so get out there and explore- there are literally hundreds of idyllic places to visit plus a whole myriad of theatres, museums, pubs, clubs and galleries as well as gorgeous beaches and forests for the adventurous types.
Photocopy your ID
Nothing will spoil your fun more than losing your ID- you’ll find it difficult to get served in pubs and turned away on club nights, so give yourself a back-up and photocopy your driving licence and passport- most security understand that things get lost from time to time but they will still require proof of your age.
Get your Fancy Dress on!
You don’t want to be making a difficult choice between a sheet to sleep on or the ultimate toga outfit so prepare- many of the nights in Freshers week will be themed so get ready and make sure you pack your Cheetah onesie and your Minnie Mouse ears.
– Fancy dress (check out what’s planned online first and try buy at least 1 or 2 items. It can be expensive, so if you can do it on the cheap. Always do this)
