Ten Tips for Freshers Week from our Editor
Woodland Road, photographed by Isobel Turner
1. Introduce yourself to your flatmates and use a doorstop
These are the people you are living with all year, so this week is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself and get to know them. Propping your door open is a good idea as it allows people to come into your room and say hello!
On top of this I would say that a cleaning rota is going to be pretty much essential in first year accommodation – don’t leave it too long because things will get really messy!
2. Unpack and decorate your room
Unpack and give your room a bit of TLC on the first few days after you move in. It can be daunting moving to a new city and university rooms can feel a bit cold without a little bit of decoration.
Put some pictures up from home or some nice posters (just make sure to use command strips so you don’t mark the wall and get your deposit back at the end of the year!) Making your room feel homely can make settling into a new city a whole lot easier!
3. Speak to as many people as you can
In Freshers Week everyone is in the same position and is looking to make friends. Just introduce yourself and speak to people. It’s a great time to meet people and some people meet their friends for life this week!
4. Find a good balance
You don’t have to go out clubbing every single night – of course you can if you want to! Don’t feel pressured to be doing university activities all day and night. Do your best to socialise, but it’s also okay to take some time to yourself if you need to.
5. Go to the Freshers fair and try out some societies!
On the 24th and 25th of September, the Freshers fair takes place on the downs. This is easily accessible with your first year University bus pass, or it is only about a half an hour walk from the city centre. It showcases all of the great societies that Bristol has to offer.
As well as this, it’s a great place to get lots of freebies and has a ‘give it a go’ area this year too. Just don’t forget to bring your U-Card with you and covid pass to guarantee entry!
6. Stay Safe
Whilst Freshers Week is all about having fun, it’s important to stay safe. I would recommend adding your flatmates’ phone numbers to your contacts before going out so that you can reach them if you need to.
As always, be vigilant against drink spiking; watch your drinks and don’t accept them from people you don’t trust. Plan your route home before you go out – Ubers are good for this; you can download the app on your phone. You can share your location with friends or flatmates and try to walk home in groups rather than on your own.
Useful contact numbers:
Emergency Services: 999
NHS Direct Helpline: 111
UoB 24hr emergency number: 01173311223
7. Register with a GP
Register with a GP in Bristol during the first week you move in. I know this seems like an annoying chore but don’t put it off. You don’t want to be trying to register with a GP when you’re ill or need a prescription as it can take a few days to get sorted. In Bristol we have the Bristol Students’ Health Service which you can register for here.
Familiarise yourself with the full range of the University’s Health and Wellbeing services here.
8. Get prepared for term
Make sure you’re up to date on reading lists for your units and have done all the registration that you need to do before your classes start. Be prepared to take lots of notes and do your best not to miss any classes – trust me, it’s a privilege to have some of them in person again, don’t take it for granted!
Missing classes, also, too easily leads to gaps in knowledge and understanding. Your future self will not thank you if you don’t perform very well in an assignment because you missed some key information that was discussed at length in a seminar.
9. What’s on
There is a multitude of events happening this week which can be found on the SU website here.
This ranges from various club nights such as ‘Ship happens’ on Thekla, Bristol’s famous club on a boat, to daytime activities such as a tour of Bristol’s iconic street art. So, whatever your interests are there will be an event for you!
10. Enjoy yourself!
Freshers Week can be overwhelming but remember that the most important thing is to enjoy yourself. Don’t worry if you feel homesick or not settled straight away. Sometimes Freshers Week can feel a little overrated. Remember that everyone has different experiences, and this week doesn’t have to be the best week of your university experience – you have so much more to come!
Some people do make really good friendships during Freshers’ Week but other times it takes a bit longer so don’t worry and go at your own pace. Just enjoy yourself and don’t sweat the small stuff!