Hi everyone!! Another massive apology for the lack of posts but deadlines kind of took over my life over the past month, to the extent that getting enough sleep, and having a work/life balance was a struggle! All is well, worry not, I am now back home and loving life!! I hope you enjoy this post about how I got through Freshers Week :)
1. Get yourself organised: Make a list of all the compulsory talks, tours, registration events you have to attend, and prioritise them over everything else. If you get yourself ahead of the game, by pencilling in all your deadlines, contact hours and extracurriculars from week 1, your future self will love you for it. A couple of ideas I've seen that tend to work well include getting a calendar on your pin board, using a planner app, a physical diary, post it's, to-do lists... the possibilities are endless! Don't forget to take a look at things like Freshers Fair, introductory fun activities and stuff that the Student Union might be putting on to give you a fab start to Uni life! And as tempting as it will be in an unfamiliar environment, try not to stay holed up in your room on Skype to family and friends from home - there'll be far more to catch up on after diving into Uni life, and you'll feel so much less homesick once you've settled in with a new group of friends, believe me. Of course it's really vital to stay in touch, so dropping them texts and selfies as well as a couple of phone calls is a great way to keep them in the loop. On the whole, this is the week (or two weeks for some of you lucky lucky freshers.. guess who only really got 3 days off work and is incredibly resentful..?) where you can forget the fact that you're at Uni to study and immerse yourself in social activities! Ah, for another go at Freshers Week!
2. Realise that you can't do everything: Going out every night might seem really attractive at the start, but you WILL get worn out! Take it from me - pick a few activities that you think you'll enjoy and ensure you get enough rest, even sitting around in the common room and chatting to other freshers is a great way to get to know people, you don't have to spend every minute out clubbing or trying out societies. Our college put on loads of alternatives to drinking events, meaning you could afford to have a couple of movie/games nights in and relax rather than go wild all the time. Pace yourself, you have the whole 3/4/ years to experience a variety of new things, not just this one week! Do as much as you can without exhausting yourself. *Oh and on a side note - if you've just come back from a night out and have been drinking, a couple of glasses of water before you go to bed will work wonders for your system!! And don't forget to set an alarm.. I definitely haven't made that mistake..*
3. Be yourself and others will flock to you: The most reassuring sight when you're looking around the dining hall for someone, anyone to sit with, is a smiley face and a free seat - if you make the extra effort to come across as friendly, you'll be instantly rewarded. But this doesn't mean putting on a front - I don't advise making anything up as by the end of term, you'll really regret telling other freshers that you did 7 A levels and auditioned for the X Factor last year.. there's just no point! Your current friends are with you because of who you are, and don't have any doubt that your future Uni friends will be just the same - I speak from experience, having made a bunch of amazing friends in my first term who I can be completely myself around, unapologetic and crazy! *shoutout to my lovely Maths duo, sassy sheepies and the Lincoln freshers who all made me feel so welcome*
I'm considering compiling these tips, along with a couple of funny anecdotes, into a Freshers Week video for my YouTube channel - please leave me a comment if you'd like to see it!
Enjoy the Christmas holidays ("vacations" for fellow Oxonians.. there's never a holiday from work!) and thanks for reading!
Jenna
xx
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