4 ways to make the most of Welcome Week as a fresher

Starting university can be scary: you’re going to a new place, full of new people and new experiences.

But this is where , a.k.a. Freshers’ Week, comes in. It takes place on the same week you move into your accommodation, the week before you start term.

Being a third year, I have attended Welcome Week twice, so I thought I'd compile my top 4 tips so you can make the most of your first Welcome Week!

1. Everyone is in the same boat

Keeping this advice in mind helped me a great deal during Welcome Week as a fresher.

Lots of people are feeling as nervous as you are, even if some people seem like they aren’t!

I also found that it was a good conversation starter: something in common between me and other students.

2. Say yes!

I remember in my first Welcome Week, there were so many events I thought weren’t my cup of tea, so I didn’t go. Or if my new course mates asked me to go to an event with them, I often shied away out of nervousness.

But the times I did say yes, I ended up having the best time!

Just remember, you have nothing to lose by going to something you’re not quite sure about. If you don’t like it, you can leave!

3. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself

I remember being told during my first few weeks that “University is where you make friends for life”, “you’ll grow so much as a person” and “for many people it’s the best 3 years they’ll ever have.”

During Welcome Week, everyone was constantly making new friends and being social... except me. I was far too hard on myself.

One day, our Senior Resident organised for all our accommodation residents to go and have dinner at the Refectory together. That evening, I got chatting to this girl. Fast forward to today, she’s my best friend and we’re sharing a house together.

There is no set way to how your university experience should be, no two will be the same.

4. Plan, plan, plan!

Of course, a big part of Welcome Week is being spontaneous and jumping on that last minute trip to Nando's with your next-door neighbours.

But an unexpected thing that I found SUPER helpful was to put the events I was planning to go to in my calendar.

Looking at the timetable for the first time can be a little overwhelming, but I found putting the events in my calendar, and colour coding it (haha), made it a much more relaxing experience.

And it helped me remember when to be where!

What is the best way to attend Freshers’ Week?

So, what are the main takeaways? Step out of your comfort zone, don’t put pressure on yourself and most of all... HAVE FUN!!

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