New Beginnings | A guide to fresher's week

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Freshers' week is often referred to as the 'best' week you will ever have at university: It is the week where you finally get to move away from home, gain independence, make new friends, join sports and clubs, and, of course, drink copious amounts alcohol without feeling bad about it.

As thousands of young people are just about to embark on their life-altering journey to university, I have put together a little guide to help first-time-freshers make their intro week as stress-free and enjoyable as possible!

1.  Find your flatmates on Facebook It's very daunting knowing that you are going to be living with complete strangers for the first year of your university life. I was so nervous about it that I'd wake up in the middle of the night with a cold sweat, but you've got to remember you are a stranger too, and everyone is feeling the same as you! Most universities have a Fresher's Facebook page, so be sure to join that and find your flatmates. Get talking, find out what you're all interested in, and hopefully that first walk into your new flat won't nearly be as scary as you were expecting.
2.  Find your coursemates on Facebook The second worse thing next to not knowing who you are going to be living with, is not knowing who you're going to have classes with. The first few days can be really nerve-wracking, especially if you don't know anyone on your course. Find your coursemates on Facebook and introduce yourself. Even if it's just a simple "Hello!", at least when it comes to your introductory lectures there will be a friendly face you can sit next to and not feel so worried about looking like the antisocial person you secretly want to be on the first day.
3. Make friends with the flats around you This is one of the things I really regret not doing in first year. Introduce yourselves to the flats around you and maybe invite them around for pre-drinks before going out, making for all-round more fun nights out. My flat was only small, so sometimes there would only be three or four of us out at a time. We could often here next door having flat parties and we would think "why didn't we introduce ourselves properly?!". Even if you don't end up doing anything with the flat opposite, at least you introduced yourself and will have slightly less awkward conversations during early morning fire drills in your slippers and shower cap.
4. Go to the activities and sports' fairs Freshers' week isn't just about drinking your weight in jäger bombs *shock*. The activities fair has hundreds of different clubs and societies you can join, so sign up to anything that looks interesting to you! But only actually take part in the ones you genuinely enjoy because it is surprising how much time they can actually take up. Even if you don't end up joining anything, it is worth just going along for the freebies. Did someone say free pizza? I'd also check out your uni's sports fair even if you aren't really into sports. There is so much more to choose from compared to your old school's clubs, including sports you didn't even know existed. What even is Korfball? Some universities even hold Give it a Go sessions so you can try out different sports before you fully commit to them. 100% recommended. 
5. Do NOT buy the Fresher's Week tickets/wristbands Apart from the fact these are a total waste of money, you don't want to be limiting yourself to the same club every night. Freshers week is a chance to try out the different bars and clubs to find your scene, so you don't want to be stuck in the same grotty club every night. Aside from that, your flatmates might want to do different things. Speak to your flatmates beforehand about what kind of events they want to attend. Are you all wanting to try out the paint party? I'd try and avoid buying any tickets before you get to uni, unless you are all sure that this is the place you want to go and it is guaranteed to sell out. Even if you decide to not go in the end, you can just sell your ticket on, there's probably someone willing to buy it.
6. Try something different You're most likely in a new city, with new surroundings and new friends, so why not try something you've never done before? During freshers' week a lot of universities host one-off activities for you to try. Go to something garish and out of your comfort zone all in the name of being a fresher. You never know, that wine tasting session you went to might just end up being your new favourite society.
7. Organise a film night You don't have to go out every night of freshers. There isn't a written rule that says you must. Besides, sometimes the best nights are those spent with a pizza and a big tub of ice cream, miming the words to your favourite chick flick. Class it as some serious flat bonding time (and to find out that the boys in your flat really do know all the words to 'Let It Go').
8. Don't go out on the last night of freshers Okay, if you don't have lectures until the afternoon on your first day, then go out and party to your hearts content. But if you have an early start on your first day, I recommend you opt for a cosy night in instead. And I'm speaking from experience. After a Uni of Vs Poly bar crawl, I was not in the right frame of mind for a two hour long lecture starting at 8am. The fact I managed to stay awake for both my lectures that day was a real miracle. But that isn't to say I wasn't nodding off and dreaming of my uncomfortable halls bed. It really wasn't worth it.