It’s not long until Freshers’ Week and come September 21st, thousands of new students will be beginning their time at UoN. Freshers’ Week is a unique experience and with little to no experience of student life away from home it can be hard to know what to bring with you to university. Here’s what you really need to pack…
Money
Freshers’ Fair is a great place to learn about the extensive range of societies the SU has to offer, but with over 200 available it’s hard not to get a little over zealous and before you know it you’ll be a member of everything from bell ringing to breakdancing. While membership of many societies is relatively inexpensive for the year, joining multiple societies at once and also paying for event tickets can see the costs add up so make sure you bring all the money you need.
Paracetamol
Day two of Freshers’: you wake up with a brutal migraine, made even worse by the realisation that you’re meeting your new tutor at 9AM. That’s when painkillers come in and it won’t be long into the term until you discover that paracetamol and bacon sandwiches (the greasier the better) are, undoubtedly, the best hangover cure yet.
Fancy Dress
It’s surprising how invaluable fancy dress is come Freshers’ Week. Make sure you bring your school uniform, UV paint and, of course, togas along with you. Fancy dress adds fun and informality to Freshers’ nights out, which is ideal when you’re just getting to know people. For a full list of the fancy dress nights visit the SU Freshers’ Welcome page.
Posters
It’s no secret that hall rooms aren’t the most homely of habitats. If it’s your first time living away from home, or even if it isn’t, you may want to bring stuff from your room back home to make your new one that much more welcoming. Posters certainly help to liven the walls up and add a bit of personality to an otherwise uniform room.
Converse
Many people I’ve spoken to about university nights out compared to the ones back home have remarked about the difference in attire. Most UoN nights tend to have a very casual dress code so converse will become your best friend. Make sure that you do bring your finery for hall formals though!
Condoms
With 26% of UoN students admitting that their number of sexual partners increased during Freshers’ Week in a recent Impact survey, it’s safe to assume that Freshers’ Week this year will probably follow suit. It’s best to be prepared and safe at all times.
Dominos’ number
It’s 3AM, post-Crisis and the alcohol-induced cravings are setting in. The hall vending machine will seem just too far away, you need someone to actually bring your food to you. Let’s face it, a large proportion of your student loan is going to go on Dominos anyway so you may as well start as you mean to go on!
Speakers
A sure way to make sure your name is one of the first remembered by your flatmates is to provide the pre-drinks playlist. Not only will this get everyone in the mood to go out but it will also spark conversation over shared music interests. Be careful though – with great power comes great responsibility.
Natasha Gregson
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