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Freshers Week

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Im just being a nosy person. Im wondering what actually happens at Freshers week and does every university have one? im just curious.:p
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Freshers week exists solely to break all the newbie students into uni life gently. Most unis (if not all) have them, although some leave the Freshers Fayre until you have settled on.

    You pick modules, go on library tours and sign up for tutor groups. Fill in lots of forms, hand over countless passport photos, get loaded down with flyers and gimmics from banks and clubs at the Freshers Fayre and sign up for societies you'll probably never go to...oh and get drunk a lot (probably), ask a zillion people where they are from, what course they are on and what A-levels they did, and you accidently dye all your whites pink as you try and understand washing machines. You then spend the next 3 years trying to avoid most of the people you spent time with in Freshers week.

    Freshers week sex

    Avoiding cliches

    Our full student special
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    At my freshers week we did all of the things that Susie has mentioned above.

    However, just be sure to remember that just because everyone else is behaving in a certain way doesn't mean you have to. Try to be an individual. Don't you anything you don't want to in order to make friends. The kind of friends you want aren't those who think you're cool for drinking a bottle of Jack Daniels and walking naked around campus.
    The kind of friends you want will respect you for doing what you want to do the way you want to do it. Trust me, I've been there.

    My freshers week was shit, people being sick, drunken antics etc. I just don't go in for stuff like that. Fair play to those who do but I will be staying well away from main campus for the first few days!

    Bumble :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My uni has one and I make a point of turning up each year for it even though I'm now a 4th year. Lancaster uni and most others use it as orientation (the formal description) and filling in forms. The social side is far more interesting as you meet loads (and I mean loads) of people in the week. Most of whom you will not remember because you will be drunk a lot of the time. Actually, my freshers week was a bit pants, but that's with that's with the advantage of hindsight because I now know what's what.

    Tips for new freshers? I'd say don't do anything you wouldn't normally do just to impress people or make friends. Usually it'll be something you regret and quite often the event hangs around a long time. Key words here: Be Yourself. I thought friends would be easy to get but by trying too hard you can make things worse. I met my best friends through my course which I didn't think would happen.

    One last thing: Be careful with your money. There seems to be no end to people skint after a few weeks and freshers week is an easy way to spend a lot of cash.

    Apart from that, have fun!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by The Philosopher
    The social side is far more interesting as you meet loads (and I mean loads) of people in the week. Most of whom you will not remember because you will be drunk a lot of the time.
    I didn't meet many people at all. It was totally cliquey ay my college in Durham and everyone seemed to know each other already (most did!) and phrases such as 'oh so you dined with the Kensington-Hammersmythes too did you darling' were to be heard very frequently.

    Plus, why do you assume they will be drunk? I have never been drunk at university because I know I would come out and tell them all what utter wankers they all are!!
    Not everybody drinks!!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Heheh. I just *have* to ask -- which Durham college did you go to? :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Brantree
    Heheh. I just *have* to ask -- which Durham college did you go to? :)
    I'm bloody still there - worse luck!

    I'll give you two guesses, you'll only need two.

    Castle or Hatfield...... you've a 50% chance of being right!

    But can you see a local girl, hates playing sports, listens to punk and rock and refuses to wear a pashmina (a fucking scarf you morons!) fitting in at either of those colleges.....?

    why do you think I am so unhappy?!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hatfield, I choose you! I heard it was full of Rahs. ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Susie
    Freshers week exists solely to break all the newbie students into uni life gently.

    Or maybe just to allow older students to break the younger students in...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Brantree
    Hatfield, I choose you! I heard it was full of Rahs. ;)
    Well you heard correctly!

    God I hate that place..........
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm in a strange place right now, I start freshers week on the 23rd having already done it before (I quit Uni first time after 10 weeks).

    I think most of the previous comments in this thread say it all, be yourself! In most cases freshers are going to be dropped into a hall with 35+ other people, this pretty much means there will be people you hate there and people you like. First time around when I went I tried not to make any enemies of anybody the first week, but at the same time I made sure I showed my true colours. You soon find yourself nesting into a group of people you get on with.

    Dont feel you have to do anything "crazy" on freshers, most of it is over hyped and it basically comes down to a bunch of 18 year olds who are away from home for the first time in their lives drinking themselves stupid.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do any of you know of people who didn't go to their freshers ball?
    I'm really not into the idea (dressing up in some fancy dress etc...) but then again, i don't want to be the odd one out.
    Any advice welcome (or am I just stressing out over nothing?).

    Thanks
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I didn't go to my freshers ball because it was at a place I could go to any day of the week because I am a local student. Didn't want to sit on a bus full of pretentious dicks taking the piss out of my local landscape (which is what happened)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I am having my freshers week this week. We have been put into small groups to do various tasks including a presentation on Friday. This is good because it has allowed me to meet a couple of people.

    I am not living in halls and so am missing out on meeting a lot of people and having an instant 'group' to hang around with in the first few weeks. I'm not really bothered cos I hated living in halls, my new house feels like home now and I am not too keen on going and getting slaughtered with people I don't know. I don't really like the fakeness of it and prefer to make friends with time, like I did at school and college.

    Today was freshers fayre where you sign up for societies. I didn't sign up for any, I'll go back at a later date and join, no loss.

    Due to some bad news in the family I am not really in the mood for going out and partying anyway.

    Freshers week is not such a big deal. So much emphasis is placed upon it as if it is the best week of your life. For many, it is not. It's hard to adjust to being in a new place, knowing nobody and being expected to make lots of new friends just like that.

    Freshers week at Cardiff was shit, utter crap. Here it is much much better, it's more of a gentle introduction to the course and practical matters like enrolling.

    Quite pissed off at my uni though, which asks all students to pay an annual £100 bench fee, whatever the fuck that is. Anyone know, or have to pay a similar thing? Confused and annoyed.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My Freshers Week commences on Sunday, September 22. I am thoroughly looking forward to it, although I am, concurrently, dreading it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by PussyKatty

    Freshers week at Cardiff was shit, utter crap. Here it is much much better, it's more of a gentle introduction to the course and practical matters like enrolling.

    I'm about to start at Cardiff. What's wrong with the Freshers Week there?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I just found it crap personally because nothing was organised. There was the normal enrolling stuff, and nothing else. So you had to basically arrange to go out with people yourself, there were no introduction activities or anything to help you get to know people.

    *cough* But I'm sure you'll love it. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by PussyKatty
    I just found it crap personally because nothing was organised. There was the normal enrolling stuff, and nothing else. So you had to basically arrange to go out with people yourself, there were no introduction activities or anything to help you get to know people.

    *cough* But I'm sure you'll love it. :)

    That's interesting to know. I was wondering what will happen between enrolment on Wednesday and the start of lectures on Monday.

    But that's cool, I'm sure I'll meet some top geez and sort something out with them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my freshers week starts october 5th and my birthday's october 7th. How fantastic is that?
    Stop saying it's crap! you're making me nervous.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Prufrock
    my freshers week starts october 5th and my birthday's october 7th. How fantastic is that?
    Stop saying it's crap! you're making me nervous.

    I share your birthday! unfortunately 7th october is the 1st day of lectures at my uni...oh wells, all the more to celebrate i guess:D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Prufrock
    my freshers week starts october 5th

    So does mine - where are you going?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bucksta, it's not crap so much as over hyped. You hear these great tales and at the end of the day it's just a load of people getting overly pissed (there is a nice pissed and a "too much" pissed :)).

    In an interesting developement I face the first 6 days of Uni without being able to have any drink :crazyeyes :crazyeyes :eek2:
    I was hoping for little "dutch courage" without going to excess but a gum infection and course of antibiotics has put to death any chance of that :(

    I'll just have to win over my new friends with my charming character alone ;):)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mine starts this Saturday, the 28th.

    As Mobily said, I'm both looking forward to it and dreading it. I'm rubbish around new people, and it all seems a bit forced in Freshers week. I'd prefer to make friends in my own time, rather than be forced into talking to people. However, it will be nice to meet some new people.

    I've decided that I definately won't be getting badly drunk in the first week. I have a tendency to make a twat out of myself when I'm drunk and I really don't want to do that around people I don't know. However, I'll definately need a few drinks just to provide some much needed "dutch courage"!
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