Poppy Read-Pitt
Freshers is a great time for so many students and this year is set to be no exception, especially as the pandemic seems to be waning. However, not everyone enjoys it as much as others. Meeting so many people can be overwhelming and you might be homesick or worried about responsibilities you never had to look after before like money. Here, Poppy shares ten realistic pieces of advice she wishes somebody had told her when she was a fresher about how to look after yourself.
- Don’t be worried if you don’t make your best friends right away. You’re going to meet so many people and everyone’s still settling in, so don’t panic if you and your flatmates don’t click immediately.
- Genuinely, buy yourself a bucket. They’re all of £2 in somewhere like B&M or the big Tesco’s in Beeston and they’re much easier to clean sick out of than your bin. If you’re not a big drinker, then this one doesn’t really apply but if you plan to go out during freshers, I am telling you, a bucket is the way to go.
- Be confident, not just in general but in yourself. You’ve made it this far and you should trust in your ability to handle independence and new responsibilities. Chances are you’ll learn over time how to cook well, budget effectively or master a certain academic style- so be confident in your abilities.
- Get involved. There are so many societies and clubs for you to get involved in here at Notts and you should try as many of them as you want. So, if you fancy trying something then try it and if it’s not for you, that’s fine too.
- It’s okay to change something if it’s not right. If you find out that your course isn’t for you, or you’re not too fond of where your living, it’s absolutely okay to change those things. It’s not any kind of failure, it’s an adjustment in the right direction.
- Make sure you’re registered at a doctor. You will almost definitely get sick, probably with tonsilitis, and you will want to be registered for a doctor in Nottingham when you do.
- Don’t be afraid to feel homesick. I feel like during freshers a lot of people try very hard to push away feelings of homesickness, but I would say that there’s nothing wrong with missing home. It doesn’t mean you’re not going to be happy at Uni or always going miss home. It’s just part of adjusting.
- Be responsible about your contraception. I can vouch that STIs are very much still alive and well. It’s possible that you or someone you know will get an STI, so just know that it really isn’t embarrassing and they really aren’t difficult to treat. However, everyone should be respectful of themselves and their partners by testing regularly and being honest with their sexual partners.
- Don’t panic if you do something embarrassing. Everyone does something embarrassing or weird during freshers, but it’s only ever a funny story by the end of first term.
- Finally, try and remember that everyone is in the same boat as you. When you first arrive it may seem like everyone else but you has it sorted, but that’s rarely the case. Everyone struggles with things in freshers in one way or another, but overall, your Uni experience will be great. Have fun!
Poppy Read-Pitt
Featured image courtesy of Alexander Popov via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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