For some, moving away from home into university halls (and a life of pesto pasta and unregulated drinking) will feel like the moment they have been waiting for their whole lives. But for many, whilst newfound freedom is exciting, it can also be overwhelming to adjust to life away from everything they’ve ever known. But fear not! I have compiled this tidy little list of top tips to help your transition from a self-replenishing fridge to ‘who the f*ck’s used my milk’ a little easier.
1. Say yes to things
My number one top tip, as scary as it is, is to say yes. Say yes to coffee with a friend of a friend, to an IKEA trip with your flatmates, to dinner with coursemates, to a club night of a genre you’ve never heard of. It is so easy and comfortable to stay in your room, with your flat, and say no to things. But I promise you you’ll regret the things you didn’t try more than those you did. Be bold — your university life will thank you.
2. Don’t feel too much pressure around drinking
When people think of freshers, they’re probably imagining screaming, Dragon-Soop-fueled 18-year-olds with shaved eyebrows and fancy dress, snogging their way through Brass Pig and Daisys. But don’t feel like alcohol is the only way to meet people and get settled at university. If you’re not the biggest party animal, and already a little homesick, I guarantee you are not alone. A hangover never helps if you’re already sad. Don’t feel bad about having a quiet pub night, or dinner and movie night-in with a few of your flatmates. The clubs and nights out aren’t going anywhere. Take it easy, there is so much else to do that doesn’t involve an hour queuing for La Rocca, and no one is going to like you any less for taking a night off.
3. Give new things a go
If you went to the Freshers’ Fair, you will be fully aware of the incredible array of societies and opportunities available at UoB. You also probably left with a paper Domino’s bag and feeling a bit overwhelmed. I think it’s common for people to join uni with that secondary school mentality of not wanting to seem too keen or excited, and it’s difficult to break out of!
After attending a fair full of groups and societies that you’ve been programmed to see as ‘uncool’, it takes a strong-minded fresher to buck up the enthusiasm, follow their secret passions and sign up to the Folk Society. But as I’m sure as you’ve heard before, societies are THE best way to meet people and make the most of your time at university.
Drag a friend to a give-it-a-go session, or if you’re the only one keen to try out wild swimming or 20-minute society then be brave and try it solo! I guarantee you will be looked after and meet a bunch of really cool people. There’s no Pub Society back home now is there? Check out the Societies page on the SU website for a full rundown of what you could get up to: Bristol SU | Student Groups
4. finding ‘your people’
Don’t get me wrong, your flat might feel like your long-lost family… or they might feel like a social experiment to see how you would cope with your nightmare group of people. Either way, the people you’re living with now are probably not going to be your university best friends for the whole 3 years and beyond. Especially if you feel like you’re in the social experiment scenario.
Don’t freak out that you haven’t found your people yet and long for your home friends who ‘just get you’. Relax, give it some time, keep meeting new faces, and you will fall into your group. Tag along to cafes and parties and before long you’ll be drafting godparent lists (probably around term two).
5. don’t be THe nightmare flatmate in the kitchen
No one ever thinks it’s them. A defining feature of this flatmate is a total lack of self-awareness. I have therefore compiled this list to help identify yourself and resolve your behaviour, making yours and your flatmates’ new lives that much easier.
- You often think to yourself ‘I’ll wash this up tomorrow’
- You don’t know where the bins goes once it is full
- The washing liquid magically refills itself
- You have deemed the cupboard next to you to have ‘communal’ seasoning
- Bonus Point: you roll your eyes when you see a text in the flat group chat asking people to wash up their own things
If this description resonates with you, take a moment of self-reflection and realise that mum and dad are not coming to collect your empty cups anymore, and it’s time to learn how to do some washing up. Communal living means cleaning up after yourself and respecting the shared space. This is a great learning curve that comes with moving away from home. And if you’re struggling, always ask for help! I imagine your flatmates would be over the moon to point you in the direction of the surface spray.
6. Don’t rush home in the first month
If you’re struggling with homesickness, it will feel all too tempting to hop on a train (if possible) and run back to the safety of your childhood bedroom. But please, please stick it out. Push yourself to stay away from home for the first couple of months, because the second you give into that homesickness and have a home-cooked meal, it makes it ten times harder to come back and settle in again. You are allowed to miss home, to feel sad, to call your mum and lie under your old blanket, but try to sit in the discomfort and fear that is moving to a new city.
And obviously, if you’re at home you are missing out on your new Bristol life! Go explore the city and beautiful surrounding area. Bath is 15 minutes on the train, or get your nature hit at Clevedon Marine Lake or Leigh Woods, check out St Nicholas market or Whiteladies market on a Saturday. Stay off Trainline and keep busy!!
If you are feeling overwhelmed or really homesick, there are plenty of student services that can help with your transition to university life, for example Nightline (Bristol Nightline – We’ll listen, not lecture)
7. Eat well, Sleep well
This was a tip given to me by my personal tutor in first year, and as simple as it sounds, and it makes the transition from home to university that much easier. If you’re not looking after yourself, you’re not going to feel your best and you’re going to crave the comfort of home.
Freshers flu is one of those unceasing forces of nature, like the tide, the sunrise, the queue for Senate coffee at 10.05am. If you feel yourself getting run down, skip Thursday night OMG. Eat vegetables. Sleep a full eight hours. Take flu and cold tablets. The rules of health and wellbeing do not magically disappear at uni, and if you don’t look after yourself, surprise surprise, you’re going to feel like sh*t.
8. Don’t spend all of your time in the library
This doesn’t apply to all of you. Future social secs and Wednesday night fiends please ignore this part and please, do some reading. Hello, the rest of you. I’m not going to sit here and play the cool senior who scoffs at you for attending seminars and screams at you “first year doesn’t count!”. Hopefully, you’re interested in your course and mostly enjoy the content you’re being taught.
However, it’s important to remember that first year is really the year to get accustomed to uni life, finding a schedule, balancing social life with study life. This is important so that come second and third year you’ve hopefully got the swapping water for VKs habit out of your system. There is no reason to be in the library every day in your first year, don’t flunk it but don’t miss out on the fun that those who are not in the library and still passing first year will be having.
9. Be kind
Not to be soppy but let’s be soppy. Don’t forget that you’re all away from home, some for the first time ever. Everyone is going to deal with their newfound independence and lives in different ways – some will find it easy, some unbelievably hard. Smile back in lecture halls, help your flatmate put away their groceries, and be friendly and safe on nights out. Treat your peers the same way you want to be treated as you navigate this new chapter of your life. Everyone is a little nervous and keen to make friends, so stay nice!
10. enjoy yourself
And last but not least, in true cliché fashion… enjoy it and embrace it. It’ll fly by. I’ve tried to avoid the part of the preaching third year, crying to first years in the pub about how quickly uni has gone and how important it is that they treasure every second. First year is tough, exciting, intense, and hilarious, and both the slowest and quickest year of your academic life. The lows will seem to crawl by, but as you become settled here, the days will pass faster and faster until you too may find yourself procrastinating your dissertation proposal with a ‘Top Tips for Freshers’ article.
Jokes aside, make the most of your first year, of the reduced pressure and the 3 years of opportunities ahead of you. This is a super exciting time, but you only get out of it what you put in (God I sound like my dad!), so good luck, silly fresh, and don’t forget that you’re all in the same boat!