Activities
There might be tours, themed meet-ups, kayaking – you name it: depending on your uni or college’s location, there will be a heap of activities on offer during your first week or so to help make the transition fun and get you better acquainted with your new home.
There will often also be a type of welcome fair, with Students’ Union (SU) reps, support services, societies and the like present, for you to find out what’s on offer (and there’s usually free pizza, tote bags, and PENS: you need these, so take as many as you feel is appropriate).
A way to meet people
Welcome Week is the ideal opportunity to meet people. Lots of people. It can be overwhelming, but push yourself out of your comfort zone and strike up conversations, to see who feels like they could be friendship material. But remember, there’s no pressure to meet your best friend in week one.
Tasters for societies
Nights out – or nights in
The classic perception of Freshers’ Week is that it’s a week of nights out followed by weeks of the worst cold of your life (also known as Freshers’ Flu). If that’s your bag, go for it – there’ll be different events on every night so you’ll be spoiled for choice. However, if the thought of a nightclub breaks you out in a cold sweat, there are loads of alternatives: board game nights, film screenings, escape rooms, you name it – there’s no pressure to go out and get drunk.
Take some time for yourself
The first week at uni or college can be pretty intense; amazing, yes, but also a big change and it can take some getting used to. Give yourself the space and time to decompress and rest, and make sure you get to know what support services are available in case you do need some help.