Hi everyone, my name is Lottie, and I’m your Vice President of Welfare and Community this year.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked students from a range of universities what advice they would give to new Freshers and what would have helped them to transition into university life. The results were varied, but in the name of honesty, here they all are for your reading pleasure.
General trigger warning: mentions of sex, drugs, and partying hard (what did you expect?).
On starting university
“If you’re a mature student, no one will be bothered about how old you are – and that goes for anyone starting uni from the age of 21+. A lot of discourse you see online about going to uni later in life is that people are nervous they’ll stick out, but mature students make up a huge portion of the population.” – Sophiia, PhD student, Solent University.
“Don’t worry; the university and the student union are here to help you every step of the way. Don’t be shy about asking for help and try to join societies as well.” Anwar, Graduate of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Portsmouth University.
“Take it easy; don’t put loads of pressure on yourself. Enjoy things as they come to you and appreciate that it can take time to settle in. But also don’t be afraid to do things and go to things on your own. People are truly friendly, especially at university where you are never the only new person in a place. People appreciate curiosity!” Max, 3rd Year Film & French, Southampton University.
“Join relevant social groups, reach out for support, ensure you’re fully appraised of what the course entails i.e. how it assessed. Know your revision method. Link in with peers on your cohort as best you can. Speak to the librarians about course literature available and location and searches. Explore campus.” Anonymous, University of Southampton.
On living in halls
“Make sure you keep up on your soft skills like cooking and cleaning. No one likes to share a flat with someone who can’t clean up after themselves.” – Sophiia, PhD, Solent University.
“Learn to cook and how to store food safely, especially meat/fish. Flashbacks to the guy who was doing his masters, storing raw mince, opened, in the fridge unsealed” Josh, Year 3 Chemistry, Southampton University.
“Buy store-brand food. Get as many store cards as possible (you can save quite some money with that).” Nikola, Software Engineering, Southampton University.
“Don’t bring too much stuff! I made that mistake and my room was full of stuff I didn’t need. Remember that if you need something you can always buy it there.” Anonymous, Bath Spa University.
“Missing home is normal and being overwhelmed is also normal but just remember everyone at university are always happy to help you settle in.” Anwar, Graduate of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Portsmouth University.
“Check social media pages for lists of essentials to bring to accom. Uni is hard but you’ll make it!!” Achsah, BSc Podiatry, Southampton University.
On joining clubs and societies
“Go out to socials and clubs … in general, there are something like 400 societies and clubs, find one you like and join, talk about your interests and relax with like-minded people.” Nikola, Software Engineering, Southampton University.
“If you’re scared of doing something (like meeting new people, attending an event alone etc) then do it scared. I would have never done half the things that I have or met the people I did if I let that fear hold me back.” Anonymous, Southampton University.
“My advice to freshers is come to the climbing gym.” Harvey, Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence, Southampton University.
“Stick up for yourself and say no if you want to say no. The idea of saying yes to everything sounds great but if your gut instinct is saying no, it’s not the end of the world. You can always try another time, or try again but with people you know you can trust. Be sure to bloody know your way home!!! I had waaay to many people for comfort not have any idea of how to get back to campus/their accoms and asking me because they needed help figuring it out. It’s fine if you can get an uber but a lot of people are keen to use buses/buses are in their budget. Which is cool, but just take two seconds to learn a route back. Soton is safe and all and there will be people to help (even the night bus thingy), but I’m sure you’ll feel safer knowing you can get home independently, just in case your new fresher friends bail/don’t know how to get back themselves. I understand for some people this is their first taste of independence, a new (perhaps bigger than what you’re used to) city, but also remember your safety should be your number one priority. And if you feel safe you can have the most fun!” Coco, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Southampton University.
“Give everything a shot and have fun” – Rowan, Year 3 Mechanical Engineering, Southampton University.
“Join societies, don’t be anxious because everyone is in the same situation.” Achsah, BSc Podiatry, Southampton University.
On night-life
“Go crazy. Live a little. You’re young, free, and supported by others going through the same transition. You may not end up having close, lasting relationships with those who support you through that time but for the time being, they are there to help you transition to a life of independence and freedom. Make the most of every opportunity. Go out to clubs! Invited to a house party? Go! First year of coming to university is the most freedom you will ever have, at a time when you are most able to do it. First year is your opportunity before everything hits you. Experiment and find yourself. Discovery your boundaries in both friendship and love so you can begin to build meaningful connections with people in and outside a school setting. Discover what and who you want without the oversight of your family or authority. Fall in love. Change an opinion. Get kicked out the library for being too loud. Take pictures of that one dude that climbed into the bin in the Common and couldn’t get out. Kiss someone at a club. Dance all night until you have blisters. Cry with someone at 3am on the sidewalk. Watch the sunrise with your mates at the docks after an entire night with no sleep.” Jack, Year 4 MSci Geology, Southampton University.
On making friends
“Focus on finding things you’re interested in, and that you can unwind with. So many freshers stress about making friends, if you prioritise having fun, you’ll find people along the way.” Coco, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Southampton University.
“Make friends with people in semester 1 because by semester 2 most people have their groups and it is real difficult to get into those when they’re made. Make sure you take out the food bin regularly because it will be rank for everyone.” Eddie, Marine Biology, Southampton University.
“Meet as many people as you possibly can – quantity over quality at first. Most of them will be boring but if you speak to enough people you’ll eventually meet those you click with. Having lots of acquaintances also increases the amount of places you’re invited to which allows you to meet more people in turn.” Owen, Ancient History and Archaeology, Southampton University.
“Throw yourself into everything and make as many friends as possible, say yes to everything and step out your comfort zone! I know people who didn’t and didn’t even try to make friends and all they did was sit at home, don’t let this be you!! Uni isn’t just about the work, it’s about the experience too! Work hard but also make sure to enjoy yourself!!” Lauren, Year 3 Marketing Management (Placement Year), Lancaster University.
On studying
“Do not be afraid to email lecturers, student hub, library services, your PAT, your accommodation at any time with any questions (because this is why they are getting paid and it saves much worry)” Nikola, Software Engineering, Southampton University.
“General tip for work is just start it when it is set. If you’ve been given 4 weeks for an assignment, it’s cause it takes 4 weeks.” Eden, Computer Science, Southampton University.