That’s it, the results are in, the summer’s almost over and you’re packing for University. Exciting, right? Well yes, but daunting too. Afterall, for many UK-based Uni students, you’re moving away from home for the first time, going to a University where no other friends from home are and it can feel a little overwhelming. But don’t worry because freshers’ week is coming up and it’s designed for first-year students, just like you.

You’ve heard of freshers’ week and while you know you have to attend, what exactly does it entail? Is it just about studying and courses, or more about your social life or a mix of both? Read on for more details about what freshers’ week is and how to get the most out of it.

What is freshers’ week? 

Freshers’ week is a week of meetings, stalls, giveaways and events where you find out more about all aspects of your University from studying, to groups and societies about your subjects or hobbies and interests, to different ways to enjoy your social life.

In most cases you will be able to pre-register for things like your classes and clubs you’re interested in before you even get to your University. Then, during Freshers week, there will be set dates and times you can visit a stall, meeting, event or building to collect anything you need, including your student ID.

Be organised

While some of the things you need to do, like physically complete registration for your courses, might be in the same room or building, that’s not always the case. The dates and times of when you can visit can also be different, so you need to be organised to make sure you do everything you have to and want to.

First on the list has to be your course registration and any final admin for your accommodation. Make sure you’ve kept any emails, texts and letters relating to this and that the dates and times are in your calendar.

Once you know when and where you need to be to complete those important details, you can take a look at what else is on offer during freshers’ week. If you want to attend some course-related groups then find out what’s available and when you can attend an introduction event, visit a stall or chat to existing members.

For any hobbies you love and are keen to keep pursuing at University, there may be other clubs, groups or societies where you can develop that hobby further. Again, look through the listings carefully and find out when and where you need to be.

As for finding out where the parties are, the Students Union is likely one of the main hubs of information for this, so get on line and find out more. Then, pop along to the Student Union event – there will be at least one for freshers’ during the week – and get involved.

Be brave

It’s not always easy to get out there, speak to new people and sign up for something new or different. But if you don’t then University life might not be as a great an experience for you as it could be.

That doesn’t mean you have to sign up for everything, stay out all day and all night and be the life and soul of every event you attend. However, if you do your homework and get organised you can pinpoint the things that really interest you and just go along and find out a bit more about a couple of things.

While studying and your course is the number one priority, enjoying your life as a University student is important too and that takes a little effort from you, particularly in the beginning.

Be (a little bit) sensible

If you want to enjoy everything that University life has to offer then that’s great. But remember, you need to allow time to work hard as well as doing all the socialising you want to fit it. It’s also important to remember that just because you’re surrounded by many other freshers who are in the same boat as you, you still need to be careful and look after yourself. That includes:

• Always keep an eye on your drink.
• Be sensible with your budget.
• Don’t travel around at night alone.
• Stay in a group.
• Try and recognise when it’s time to go home, even if it means setting an alarm on your phone.

Freshers’ week is a great opportunity to find out more about your university and get involved in all the things you want to. It’s also a good time to learn a little bit more about yourself and develop some personal responsibility so try and do a bit of both!