Starting university is a very daunting time.

You are leaving home, leaving your friends and you may get lost in the city that you will now live in for a year.

We all, as humans, feel very anxious when meeting people for the first time.

Whether this is starting university, starting a new job or living in another country, we often feel out of our depths, but everyone at uni will feel the same.

My story

When I moved into my first university accommodation, my mum and I were unpacking my kitchen stuff.

Two of my new flatmates were sat on the sofas getting to know each other.

It was awkward, everything was silent. I started to put away my freezer stuff by claiming my draw.

The food was in a suitcase as it was easier to transport and my mum left it open on the floor right behind me.

As I stood up, I walked backward and fell into the suitcase, in front of my new flatmates.

My face was red with embarrassment and I can tell you that was not the last embarrassing thing that happened to me over my four year run at uni.

What is freshers?

Everyone is in the same boat, they hardly know anyone and they just want to have a good time at university.

Freshers is a week or two week period in mid-September, that is a time for new students to get to know their new reality and returning students mainly use it to get drunk and free stuff, I know I did.

Freshers is a really good way of getting to know your flatmates, coursemates, course and the city you’re living in, or will be traveling to daily.

The uni will put on events for all the new students, these are a great way to get to know the area, the uni and to meet people.

I highly suggest you go to these events, even if you’re a returning student, I’d go as you can get free stuff and who doesn’t like free stuff.

Of course, there will be events at night, this is a really good way to get to know the nightlife. You can see what clubs you like, get taxi numbers and see how much it will cost.

Tips

If you’re still worried about joining uni, here are my tips on what to do before you get there:

1. Join the Facebook groups/pages for your university and your course. Then post in there, see if anyone wants to talk before classes start.

This is how me and now, one of my best mates got in contact. We messaged each other before the year started from the page, then in the first lecture sat next to each other.

1. Check to see if there is a student union website. They will have information and you can see what sports teams and what societies there are.

2. If you’re interested in joining any sports teams and societies, do it. They are a great way to meet people and relieve stress from your course.

3. Go to the fairs that the student union may run.

4. If you like it go to the club nights, as sometimes there are businesses that run ‘fresher’s nights’ in the clubs, that you have to buy tickets for.

Stay safe, and stay with the people you are going out with. The first-ever freshers night I went out, was one of my first nights out ever (as I turned 18 in July).

I stayed with my flatmate and we didn’t drink too much because we were just getting to know the nightlife.

5. Organise film nights, take-aways and stay in with your flatmates, to get to know them, because you will be living with them.

You won’t like all the time, it is just better to have a good start rather than a bad one.

6. You can also do number 6 with your coursemates. As you will more than likely be closer with them.

If you’re a returning student comment down below your tips for new students, and if you’re a new student let me know if this helped and if you have any worries about starting uni.

Remember have fun and stay safe.