How to Survive Being a Fresher

By Student Cribs | July 3, 2023 | Reading Time: 6 minutes

The time has come, you’re about to embark on the next stage of your life, but you’re feeling stupidly nervous for it. The questions are buzzing around your head and they’re only getting louder. You are worried about a few things and those worries will seem to get worse and worse the closer moving day gets. Being a fresher can be a crazy experience, both in a good way and a bad way, but it can also feel a bit too much at times. Below are just a few tips we have to ensure you survive your first year…

No pressure

Do not succumb to peer pressure, which you may have already been told by your parents since you started secondary school, but it’s easier said than done when you’re at uni. Being surrounded by new people and a different environment may lead you to feeling far more vulnerable than you usually would, however if you don’t feel comfortable, do not be afraid to remove yourself from the situation and distance yourself from the people.

Don’t slack

Yes, it’s your first year, yes it doesn’t necessarily count towards your final mark (though it does at some unis, make sure you’re aware!) at the end of uni, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t attend lectures and seminars, yes even those pesky 9ams. Getting into a routine of working hard during your first year will prepare you for the hard work that is ahead. If you spend the entire year doing nothing, you may struggle to adjust. Worse than that, you could fail first year and have to redo it/drop out. So, it’s all about balance, work hard so you can play hard.

Friendships

University can sometimes appear like a popularity contest to see who can end up with the most mates by the end of the year, and there’s nothing wrong with that! The more, the merrier, right?! Of course, but try not to get caught up in it. It’s supposed to be fun, not make you doubt yourself if you aren’t in a group chat with 50 other freshers (plus, that can get super annoying).

Family

Feeling homesick is expected, especially if you’re really far away from home, so be sure to keep in touch with family and friends from back home. University can be overwhelming at times and you may feel you should be using the time you have wisely, rather than spending it talking to family every day. But that’s simply not the case, if you miss them, talk to them.

Know your limits

As we just mentioned, uni can hit you like a tonne of bricks out of nowhere, so don’t be surprised if your mind and/or body struggles to handle it. Figure out what you can take and try not to exceed it as there is no need. Don’t feel like going out one night? Cool, no worries, the same club will be there the week after anyway.

Be safe

We aren’t going give you a long lecture, we are pretty sure you’ve heard it all plenty of times before, especially now that you’re about to head off to uni. But university is where it all becomes far more relevant. If you need to hear the lectures on being safe again, just give your parents a call, they’ve replaced ‘goodbye’ with ‘make sure you never get into a taxi by yourself late at night!’ ugh.

Explore

Going to uni in another city isn’t just about knowing where the nearest clubs are, but getting to know your new home for the next few years. Try to grab a few friends and get to know your area a little better. Look for activities to do or places to see, it’ll make a great alternative to stumbling out of a club every night. Mini golf or bowling, anyone?

Don’t rush

You have an entire year ahead of you, don’t rush into doing too much too quickly. Enjoy every moment of it all, it’s a unique experience that only happens once. Take each day as it comes and do things that’ll make you happy, not others. This is new and exciting, take it all in and enjoy the ride.

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