What actually happens on the first week of Uni?

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What's better, Catered or self catered halls? (1st year)

Hi,

So I'm in year 12 and looking at going to university to study automotive design or motorsport technology in Sept 2017 and I have a few questions about uni life. Btw I'm a introvert and hate new situations with people I don't know :colondollar:

So on the first day what happens? Like after you've moved in do you spend time with flat mates? Are they all going to be there on the same day? I've seen all these freshers fairs but who do you go around them with if you don't know anyone?? And on the first night does everyone go out with their flat mates or what?

Any first day/week uni experiences would be very grateful!!! My schools kind of lacking in the real world experience stuff!

Thanks, (oh and I was looking at Oxford Brookes and Coventry uni)

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Reply 1

Budz1

At our uni we moved into halls on Sunday and that's where I met the rest of our flatmates. Most of us stayed over on Sunday night so we got to meet each other properly and then we had someone to go about with when we enrolled next morning on the Monday...from there we went to freshens and started hanging out so it all falls into,place so don't worry... If your parents help,with the move then that's an icebreaker as parents talk to others etc...

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Reply 2

Sarah1778

I've just finished my first year at uni, and I didn't live out so I don't know much about that side of things

I had lots of talks in the first week in which I just made conversation with whoever I was sitting with, and I also had subject-specific talks which helped soo much because I could make friends with people doing the same course as me. I was scared too because there were so many people but if you stick to like whoever you're sitting with or something like that it's not as bad. I also found it helpful to approach people who were by themselves or not with a group

I went around freshers fair with a couple people who were doing the same subject as me, but I'm assuming you could make friends with your flat mates and go round with them

If it helps, I don't even remember the people I met on the first day because I made great friends with other people after the first week once lectures started, and it's been a good year so yh :smile:

Reply 3

hestiaoya

I'm looking at brookes too! :smile:

Reply 4

Kevin De Bruyne

Original post by rndmtngr99

So on the first day what happens?

Like after you've moved in do you spend time with flat mates?

After you're all set up, yes. Introduce yourself to the people living with you. A tip they always give is always leave your door open (unless it needs to be closed for privacy reasons at times) to make it seem inviting for people to come in and talk. I'm also an introvert and at first things were difficult and I didn't open up as quickly as everyon else, but things got better over time. On the first night one guy had a pack of cards and we just played different games.

[qupte]
Are they all going to be there on the same day?

Unlikely. Check with your uni (it'll tell you when the moving dates are) there will most likely be a suggested range, right before Freshers. Even then, people can arrive later depending on what happens.

II've seen all these freshers fairs but who do you go around them with if you don't know anyone??

No shame in going to them alone, though you could go with flatmates.

And on the first night does everyone go out with their flat mates or what?

If that's not your thing, don't do it. I went out, out on two nights of Freshers, otherwise I stayed at home as it's not really my scene but I gave it a shot anyway. But there is no pressure to do anything that you don't want to do.

Any first day/week uni experiences would be very grateful!!! My schools kind of lacking in the real world experience stuff!

The first day was a bit tough, seeing my parents leave and realising that I was alone at uni. I bought some sandwiches for a few days until I figured out how to cook stuff. It helps to learn how to cook before you get there.

The next few weeks were even more rough on me, personally. For a long time I felt like I didn't quite fit in and wanted to go home. And that's okay, it happens to a lot of people for a varying amount of time, but most people get over it eventually.

Otherwise.. nothing really eventful happened for the first few weeks. In your flat and on your course, at uni etc - make your friendship groups as early as possible. Otherwise, for an introvert, it is very difficult to expand and integrate and all of that.

Reply 5

username2694491

Original post by rndmtngr99

You continue to respire? Jokes, you meet your flat mates, make tonnes of friends, get lots of freebies, go around the new city, decorate your room and have the best week of your life?

Reply 6

monk1324

I felt the same and I didn't make any friends whatsoever in the first week (only had one flat mate whom I thoroughly disliked and wasn't interested in being friends with). I went to the fair alone and just chatted with the people running the stalls for different societies and signed up for a few. I didn't mind going alone tbh, The experience was just fine.
Anyway when the lectures started I met my coursemates with whom I became very good friends and hung out for the rest of the year.
So
So my advice would just be not to worry about it too much. Whole freshers week importance is way overblown, it's really the whole freshers year that matters. Enjoy uni.

Reply 7

Exceptional

You start to realise that the excitement of autonomy is hyperbolic as you recover from Freshers' Flu.

Reply 8

jelly1000

Original post by rndmtngr99

The move in day itself:. What happened in my flat was that once peoples parents had left we all grouped in the kitchen and sat talking to each other, getting to know each other.

Daytime: you have registration, you may have introductory talks like 'welcome to the department' and 'how to use the library' and 'welcome to the student union' and then yes a freshers fair- you can go round with whoever, I went with my flatmates because I barely knew my coursemates at this point.

Nightime: up to you what you do really but there will usually be a club night happening somewhere, whether on or off campus, some unis are better than others at organising alternatives for those who don't like clubbing e.g. quizzes, comedy. Most people go with their flatmates because at this point they don't really know anyone else.

Reply 9

XxKingSniprxX

Original post by rndmtngr99

you experience 'freshers 15' unless you actually know about dieting or make smart decisions etc. :tongue:

Reply 10

JustGeorgeJ

Original post by rndmtngr99

Hello there :smile:

Now, my experience of my first week may differ to that of others at other universities but mine was as follows.

On my first day I moved in, as i was moving stuff in I was meeting the people I was living with, chatting with them and generally just introducing ourselves to each other. I then continued to pack - after a while everybody's families have gone and most people go to the communal areas or to each others rooms and starts introducing themselves to each other - this is how things started. Some people chill by themselves for a little, others socialise to help the moving process. Most people arrive on the same day, there are some that don't depending on their situation.
People usually attend Freshers Fairs with people from their flat as a bonding activity - I've known some to go alone and meet people there etc. Yes, usually on the first night everybody goes out with their flat or with people they've pre-met elsewhere and what not - this is the usual.

My first week was going out every night, meeting new people, some i'm still in contact with and some i'm not. I'm in my second year now so my freshers seems like a long time ago. You have to remember that everybody is in the same boat when you start university - everyone has some nerves in the whole process. Don't overthink it and just take the dive - don't tip toe in or it'll make it worse for yourself. Do what you feel comfortable with and just enjoy the experience.

If you want to know more about my first week please feel free to message me.

If not, good luck! :smile:

Reply 11

Zeldaintheflesh

When I moved into halls as a fresher, half of the new students were assigned to move in on the saturday and the other half were assigned the sunday - but all flatmates were assigned to move in the same day, unless you specifically requested a specific day. I was assigned to move in on the sunday so my first night was a lot of other peoples second night which was a bit ****.

I'd actually been talking to a girl who is on my course over FB before I moved down, so once all my housemates were in and settled we went to this girls house and we all went out together the first night. Admittedly it was a bit of a weird night - you're not always guaranteed to be on the same wavelength as your housemates, but I soon learnt who I gelled with. From there on, my freshers week(s) was spent getting drunk as hell with other people in the same accommodation as me and waking up a few times not knowing where I was! (I still have a whole weekend of freshers that I have no memory of)

Two years on and I only talk to (and live with) one person I lived with in first year and the girl I was talking to on FB is now one of my closest friends and we lived together for our second year of uni and will be again for final year. All in all, I'd say you can't base your uni experience off freshers week as it isn't always as good as you think it's going to be, some of my best memories are from further into uni when I had a good base of friends! :smile:

Reply 12

username2125137

Thanks everyone, that was really helpful. Guess everyone's in the same boat and I guess it's like your friends in year 7 aren't your friends when you leave school.

Reply 13

Themini

Original post by hestiaoya

I'm looking at brookes too! :smile:

Why Brookes? its sh*t. Its 65th on the 2017 uni leagues.

Reply 14

username2125137

Original post by Themini

Why Brookes? its sh*t. Its 65th on the 2017 uni leagues.

Because for the courses I want to do (Motorsport/automotive) aren't provided by decent universities like York/UCL/Nottingham for example because it's too specialised and I don't want to do engineering. Brookes has great connections to formula one teams and car manufacturers. I'm probably going to get BBC in my exams so I'm not clever enough anyway. (I do maths physics and product design)

Reply 15

username2125137

Original post by Themini

Why Brookes? its sh*t. Its 65th on the 2017 uni leagues.

Just because it's not high up? Where are you?

Reply 16

Themini

Original post by rndmtngr99

Just because it's not high up? Where are you?

It was 54th then crashed to 65th. Not really a good trend imo. It'll end up like abersywyth.

Reply 17

Isinglass

Original post by Themini

Why Brookes? its sh*t. Its 65th on the 2017 uni leagues.

Because believe it or not, some people go for the universities where the specific course they are interested in is most respected by the industry involved? Formula 1 is not investment banking😯.

Reply 18

Themini

Original post by Isinglass

Because believe it or not, some people go for the universities where the specific course they are interested in is most respected by the industry involved? Formula 1 is not investment banking😯.

Sorry precious. Chill. Not having a dig..just was wondering..Given OP and the respondand could've chosen uni's in the top 50 with same entry grades requirements. Now I have my answer.

Reply 19

username2125137

Original post by Isinglass

Because believe it or not, some people go for the universities where the specific course they are interested in is most respected by the industry involved? Formula 1 is not investment banking😯.

Thanks for backing me up😋 Because yeah I might get into Sheffield or Warwick or wherever but if they don't do a course I want to do then what's the point?