5 Freshers Week Survival Tips

Off to uni this autumn? These top tips will help you breeze freshers week and ensure you’re making the best of your experience.

Moving into halls

If you’re planning on moving away to university, it’s advisable to move into your accommodation as soon as possible. Friendships can form extremely quickly and you don’t want to be feeling like a fish-out-of-water on the very first day. Pluck up the courage to move out on the recommended date so you have a better chance of settling in.

While unpacking, leave your door open to show you’re around and willing to meet new people. There will be other newbies looking to make friends, so don’t shut yourself away. If you do manage to find a buddy and are feeling a little more confident, why not knock on doors in the block and introduce yourself?

Sign up to clubs and societies

A no-brainer. One of the best ways to make friends during the early weeks of university is to join a club or society that interests you. Doing so allows you to try out a whole range of sports and hobbies you may never have thought of before.

Your university will likely hold a Freshers Fair during your first week, where there’ll be a specific stand dedicated to clubs and societies. Here you can sign up to as many as you wish, though be careful not to over-extend yourself!

Be aware that some societies charge a small fee, so always check this out with the society leader before you join.

Fighting homesickness

The first week of uni will be a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute you’ll be taking in the exciting atmosphere of your new experience and the next you may be feeling lost, alone and in need of a friendly face.

This is completely normal, so don’t worry about telling someone how you’re feeling. Research by the National Union of Students shows that between 50- 70% of students suffer from homesickness during the early days.

You may find it easier not to phone home to begin with as a way of coping with the adjustment, however, your friends and family are just a Skype call away if you do need them.

Or, why not use some of your university’s resources? For example, the University of Warwickshire provides a helpful list on the services and members of their dedicated team who deal with issues such as homesickness.

Your personal tutors will be on hand for a chat if need be, and there’s always friendly counsellors on campus to talk things through if you feel you need extra support.

Budgeting

Once arriving at university, you’ll need to take into account how you’re going to budget. Research found by Which revealed that 4 in 10 students were clueless on how to budget and a whopping 15% percent said that due to this they were struggling financially.

During freshers week, many students blow their loan on the likes of alcohol and nights out. Before you spend a large proportion of your loan, divide up the amount of cash you have into a weekly budget and stick to it. If there are some weeks you know you’re going to have to spend more, make sure you have a lean week to make up for your big spend.

You’ll also need to plan on how much you wish to spend for Christmas, birthdays and clothing throughout the year, as well as your weekly food allowance. Make use of any student discounts that may cut your costs down during shopping trips. NUS and UniDays are two great organisations which will allow you receive huge discounts in a variety of high-street stores. Check out their websites to see where you can cut the costs!

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