10 things you will experience during Freshers’ Week
Freshers’ Week will probably be the most eventful seven days of your life, but there are still certain things that are almost guaranteed to occur, no matter how crazy they seem. Keep reading, and hopefully they won’t come as too much of a surprise!
Some of the best times of your life that you will still remember (and bore people by retelling as anecdotal stories for years to come) will most definitely occur during Freshers’ Week. Never before and never again will a period as short as seven days be so jam packed with making new friends, exploring new places and experiencing new things. Despite the seeming craziness and unpredictability of Freshers’ Week, there are certain things that are practically guaranteed to take place at least once throughout the week, so why not gear yourself up for them now? Read on to prepare yourself for the roller coaster ride that is Freshers’ Week…
1. Regrettable Drunken Antics
For many students across the country, Freshers’ Week is the first time they will experience true independence and autonomy when it comes to things like curfews, dress codes and alcohol consumption. Like a kid in a sweet shop, this can often lead to getting swept up in the excitement of it all and making some pretty regrettable decisions as a result, one of which is often the decision to drink way too much. We all know the age-old student stories of stolen traffic cones, supermarket trollies and road signs, but the truth of the matter is that exceeding your drinking limit can have far more serious consequences: like, for example, hitting on your flatmate, which is never ever a good idea, so make sure you know your limits!
2. Finding your 5-minute Best Friend
Freshers’ Week is an intense time, so it’s no surprise that everything seems to happen at around 100 mph, including friendships. You might meet someone on your first day at uni and become convinced that you are officially best friends for life, before never seeing them again. Don’t worry, it’s not a reflection on you, it’s just the speed at which things move during the all-or-nothing period that is Freshers’ Week. You’ll find your true squad eventually, but for now just enjoy playing the friendship field and meeting as many new people as possible.
3. Answering the same questions over and over again
Where are you from? What do you study? What did you do at A-Level?
That’s right, prepare yourself to answer these monotonous questions time and time again throughout your first week at uni, and believe me when I say it becomes very boring very quickly. Perhaps have some fun by making up a new answer each time?
4. Getting Freshers’ Flu
Older students will often threaten you with the infamous notion of “Freshers’ Flu”, leading you to roll your eyes and brush it off as nothing more than a made-up scare tactic. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Believe me, Freshers’ Flu is very real and can range from a slight throat tickle to full on fever, so it’s not be taken light-heartedly. You might be one of the lucky ones that escape symptoms of a cold or flu, in which case make the most of it, but it’s back to bed for the rest of us. Goodnight.
5. Philosophical chats with people you’ll never see again
This occurrence is almost guaranteed to take place under the influence of alcohol, which can occasionally lead to some genuinely interesting (if not always coherent) debates. Topics safe to debate include preference of pizza toppings, which one was the funniest “Friend” and whether or not “Shrek 4” was simply a step too far. Topics better left alone include politics, religion and conspiracies on Mufasa’s death (bringing up the Lion King to sensitive millennials is a step too far).
6. Living off Ready Meals
Upon arrival at university, most Freshers have been sent off by their parents with a box full of kitchen utensils that they simply don’t know how to use. Without being stereotypical, students as a species are not usually renowned for their masterful culinary skills, so when it comes to all the amazing things going on during Freshers’ Week, cooking often takes a back seat, perhaps in favour of saving time and energy by ordering a pizza or opting for a microwave chicken korma. Sadly, this habit is very effective in causing students to simultaneously gain and lose pounds of the wallet and waistline, so it’s best to make this routine short-lived by buying a cookbook.
7. Improvised Fancy Dress
With the exception of Halloween, the demand for fancy dress is never as high as it is during Freshers’ Week. You probably haven’t attended a costume party since you were 5 years old, and now you’re expected to whip up outfits for a Beach Party, Safari Night and School Disco all in one week! Learn from my mistakes and prepare for this in advance as rushing around last minute is never fun, and you may be surprised to find that Primark doesn’t actually sell flower necklaces and coconut bras. Just saying!
8. 2am Fire Alarms
No matter what time of the day or night, there is always a student in your halls of residence who will manage to set off the fire alarm. Whether they’re making an impromptu stir fry at 1am or have gone to town with their scented candles at 4 in the afternoon, these annoying creatures will carelessly raise the alarm for the entire building with little more than an “Oops, sorry!” by way of compensation. Be ready with a dressing gown at all times, as being awoken from a deep sleep or afternoon nap is bad enough without exposing yourself to all your new friends in your old, food stained PJs. Believe me.
9. Being hounded by Societies at Freshers’ Fayre
If you’ve got a niche or even slightly weird hobby, then you’ve come to the right place! Most universities have an incredible range of societies on offer to suit everyone’s interests, from the more conventional Football and Dance to the super specific Anime and Harry Potter, so there really is something for everyone. Presidents of these societies want your membership (and your money) so prepare yourself for some really over-enthusiastic recruiters at Freshers’ Fayre. As off-putting as this can be, don’t be afraid to try something new; you might uncover a newfound passion for playing the ukulele.
10. Sudden realisation of the cost of food
Sorry to end on a downer but, being the first time that many students have really fended for themselves, Freshers’ Week is often the time when us youngsters realise just how much food can cost. £5 for a packet of mince? How are we supposed to eat spag bol now?! I’ll tell you how: find your local Aldi and you’ll never look back.
I hope this list of things you are almost sure to experience during Freshers’ Week has provided you with a useful heads up of what to expect. There will be a tonne of other happenings throughout the week that no one could have predicted, so enjoy those moments while you still can, y’know, before all the hard work starts. Sorry!
By Elise Harvey