Surviving Freshers Week – 5 Things You Need To Know

Here are 5 things we think you need to know to help get you through Freshers Week in one piece.

Freshers Week (or Freshers Fortnight for many) is the ultimate introduction to student life and a rite of passage for every student beginning their university journey. But, as with many things in life, there will be trying times!

No doubt, you’re excited to be starting your university journey. You’ve checked into your halls, you’ve stocked up on super noodles and your parents have bought more loo roll than you think one person could ever possibly need (you’ll need it)!

But before you dive face-first into the Jaegermeister, take a couple of minutes to read our 5 tips for surviving Freshers Week… You can thank us later.

1. Freshers Week Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

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Ok, we get it, you’re excited. You’ve done all the hard work, you’ve got your grades, you’ve confirmed your place and now you’re ready to let loose and party like it’s 1999!

But, before you make a blood pact with your new housemates to attend EVERY SINGLE night out on offer — DON’T.

Sure, you’ll want to get involved in as many events as possible during Freshers but you’ll also need to be able to function in the daytime too.

Decide on your must-attend events and stick to them. Not only will this save you a headache or two, but it’ll also leave you fit enough to check out (and enjoy) some of the daytime events too — many of which will be FREE!

2. Don’t Miss the Freshers Bazaar

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Yes, it’s a non-drinking event, and yes there are some boring, administration things to do while you’re there (like registering for your course)! BUT, Freshers Fair is probably one of the easiest and quickest ways to start making friends at uni — even if you are horrendously hungover the whole time.

There’ll be tonnes of societies and clubs trying to recruit new members, as well as local businesses giving away free stuff — yes that includes bars and clubs!

There may even be some stands offering hints and tips to help you find part-time employment. So, even if you’ve overdone it the night before, make sure you get yourself down there and check out what’s on offer.

The LSU Sports Bazaar and LSU Student Activities Bazaar will take place on Saturday 29th September and Sunday 30th September, respectively.

We’ll be at the STUDENT ACTIVITIES BAZAAR with copious amounts of FREE HARIBO, so make sure you pop down and see us!

3. Use Your Phone for More Useful Things Than Taking Selfies

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Don’t get us wrong, we think taking tonnes of pictures during Freshers Week is a MUST — there’s nothing quite like scrolling through your camera roll the next day and wondering where that chicken hat came from!? But there are a lot more useful things you could be using your phone for during Freshers Week:

• Make sure you like and follow your Student Union on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. They’ll be the ones in charge of the majority of the organised events during Freshers, so keeping up-to-date with their social media is a must
• Like and Follow your Uni administration too — this may not sound as fun but having instant updates at your fingertips can be a real lifesaver when you’re still trying to find your feet in a new place
• Take advantage of notes and reminder apps. There’s going to be so much going on that it’ll be hard to keep track of everything. Make notes with alerts or set yourself reminders so you don’t miss anything important when you’re battling Freshers Week induced sleep deprivation!

4. Try Not to Spend ALL Your Student Loan in the First Two Weeks!

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While that glorious day when your student loan comes in is definitely one to be celebrated with a few bevvies, try not to forget that you’ll still have rent to pay and food to buy when the hangover clears!

Being savvy with your student loan will really help you out in the long run — especially towards the end of the semester when you need to buy that all-important train ticket home.

Check out these useful budgeting apps for students to help get your head around your student finances.

5. ‘Freshers Flu’ is NOT a Myth – Be Prepared

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With so many people from so many different places all thrown together somewhere new at the same time, there are bound to be a few bugs and viruses flying around.

Combine that with a heady mix of alcohol, poor diet, lack of sleep and stress (you might not want to admit it but moving away from home can be pretty stressful!) and you’re asking for a nasty cold.

‘Freshers Flu’ isn’t technically the flu, but it can be pretty awful and has the power to knock you sideways if you’re not ready for it.

Dealing with a cold for the first time away from home is a lesson in survival in itself (I don’t care who you are, everybody needs their mum/dad/nan/person when they’re ill). The best thing you can do is be prepared, then if (or really when) ‘Freshers Flu’ rears its ugly head you’ll be well equipped to batten down the hatches and power on through!

Our Top Advice:

• Register at the doctors on DAY 1 — doctors registration can take anything from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, so make sure you get on it as soon as you arrive at uni (check your welcome pack or with your uni administration as some universities have student-specific practices they prefer you to use)
• Stock up on painkillers — the last thing you need is a bare medicine cupboard when you’re feeling too rough to leave the house!
• Make sure you get some decent food in — a diet of alcohol and kebabs at 3 AM will not help!
• Try and build in AT LEAST a couple of nights off during Freshers — getting a good night’s kip can really help your body and mind recover
• If you’re feeling stressed out or homesick TALK to someone about it — keeping things to yourself is not healthy and we guarantee you won’t be the only one feeling this way

Our student houses are extremely popular and some have already been booked for next year!

To avoid disappointment, take a look at our Loughborough student accommodation now and enquire today! Alternatively, pop into the office anytime for a coffee and a chat to discuss your needs. We’re happy to talk things through with you.