The fantastic Lucy Brunner walks us through the brutal truths that she wishes she'd known as a Fresher - everything from the fact that A-Levels don't matter, through to a guide to making friends outside the club. She's got you covered. Anything that Lucy didn't cover? be sure to hit up our huge digital student community for all the info you need.
Being a fresher is an adventure like no other. If you are off to university this year, prepare for a strange concoction of experiences that are simultaneously exciting, overwhelming, and above all, incredibly rewarding. To help you make the most out of your first year, I have outlined a few things that I wish I had known when I started back in September 2022.
Your A-level grades won’t matter
The most important thing when you arrive at university is to remember that your past grades and experiences do not define you. As someone whose A-level grades were affected by a series of unfortunate events, it took me an entire year to get over my belief that I didn’t belong. Have confidence in your capabilities, as you would not be there if your university didn’t think you were worthy of a place! In my experience, it is us state school alumni who are the highest achievers at university, as we are more attuned to self-discipline and independent learning, so always take pride in your educational background.
You probably won’t love the first semester
Now I promise that this is not to scare you, but you probably won’t love your first semester. Whilst it is so much fun to meet new people, go out, and explore your new home, it’s quite a full-on experience which means you can feel socially or academically burned out. This is super, SUPER normal - but it can be managed.
Take semester 1 at your own pace, and stick it out until semester 2, because I promise it all gets easier from there. Once you know your routines, your happy places, and your people, uni life becomes much less intense - everyone I know agrees that semester 1 of first year is the hardest of them all!
Don’t jump into signing a house with your flatmates
During freshers, there will likely be a huge amount of pressure to sign a house for second year as quickly as possible, but do not rush into this! Chances are it will take a few months for you to really know who you want to live with, and your second year will be so much better if you take a bit more time to make the right decision for you. People often jump into signing a house with their flatmates, but remember that there are thousands of other people at your university that you might be better suited to living with, so trust your instincts and take your time.
How to make mates outside the club
Now this is something all students need to get more comfortable with…making friends sober! You will always be meeting random people on a night out and grabbing their socials, but will probably find that the mix of hangxiety, memory loss, and lack of conversation starters means that you won’t speak again. Whilst Fresher’s Week is fun, ensure you allocate extra time for sober or pub socialising, as this is where you can make some genuine connections. If your activity of choice is the club, then invite people over to make dinner (pesto pasta or oven pizza, obviously), and get ready together before pres. Whilst it can be more intimidating to start chatting without the comfort blanket of alcohol, you will at least remember who you have met and how well you got on!
Double up on home comforts
One of the best things I did when I was a fresher was ensuring that I had equivalent uni ‘comforts’ as I did home ones. If you know that there is something you use every day at home, make sure you can replicate it at uni. Dressing gowns are a common one, as they keep you warm and cosy, and are not easy to cart from city to city when you go back and forth! I became one with my Tesco grey fluffy robe in first year - cheap, cosy, and not to be missed out on.
Joining that society will be the best decision you make
During Freshers, I often heard people say that they were planning to quit hobbies or not bother with societies because they were worried it would prevent them from having a social life. This is a total myth, as joining a society (or three) is one of the best decisions you can make at university. No matter whether you are musical, sporty, or theatrically inclined, make sure to keep it going. Between a lecture schedule that will fluctuate between chaotic and totally empty, you will find that it is your regular sports training, rehearsals, and socials that will help keep you grounded in a routine. The quicker you find a rhythm and routine, the quicker you will settle, and there is no better way to settle and find friends than amongst a group of like-minded people - a lot of students even find their housemates through societies. Society social life is second to none, and you can find a group for pretty much everything. You can even start your own, which is an incredible addition to your CV!
Your style is going to change
It becomes pretty clear when you first arrive that your new university probably has its own unique fashion, and Fresher instinct tells you to do whatever you can to try and fit in with this. However, try to resist the urge to splurge, and definitely refrain from buying a whole new wardrobe. By the time second year rolls around, you will almost inevitably regret the rogue items you picked up as a Fresher. Hold off and wait until you know whether you genuinely want the item, or whether you are just succumbing to Fresher fashion instinct. It is always fun to mess around with fashion, but don’t let your style experiments break the bank in the process, or it’ll be a hard one when rent day comes around…
Get ahead on internships and work experience
This is something that can easily creep up on you (as I learned the hard way). As you get to explore your subject, think about what you are enjoying, what you are not enjoying, and where this could possibly take you. LinkedIn is a valuable tool for internship hunting, and there is always the option to send cold emails to individuals or companies who have roles that you admire. Say yes to every experience you come across, and make sure to use Zero Gravity for unique opportunities, networking help, and information on social mobility. Have confidence and apply for everything that catches your eye - you might surprise yourself!
Speak up in seminars
And finally, a reminder of just why you are going to university… your academic voice is there to be heard! Contact hours at uni are few and far between, so make the most of every learning opportunity available. You have complete access to world-leading experts in your chosen field, so soak up as much of their knowledge as you can. Do not be afraid to ask questions, as I can guarantee that some of the most enlightening learning experiences you will have at university will result from queries and mistakes. Debate, thesis defence, and philosophical thought are cornerstones of the academic experience, and would not be possible without questions and varied perspectives! If you don’t speak up, you won’t learn, so try not to let your three years of studying slip away in silence.
And that’s it! Uni is a weird and wonderful experience, and you have such an exciting time ahead of you. Make the most of every opportunity, remember why you are there, and above all, enjoy yourself. Good luck!!!
Yes Lucy, we couldn't have said it better! Cheers for being so honest!
Want some more incredible tips about how to nail university? Be sure to get into the Zero Gravity student community, where you'll find thousands of members to ask all your crazy uni questions to. But it's not just for Freshers - we've all got loads of internships and career opportunities (including graduate job opportunities), career support and career mentoring, so no matter where you're at in your university journey, we've got you covered.
