The Student Room Group
Students on campus, Nottingham University
University of Nottingham
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Reply 1
I did it last year. My advice is just go up to people and say hi. It's allowed during freshers' week. Also go to a second year house party or if you're in HuStu, there will be a huuuge party in K block, president's flat. Those parties are a good place to get introduced to the "drinking culture" and meet people you wouldn't talk to otherwise. But get a cab number in your phone before leaving campus for the first time or you'll end up stumbling drunkenly around Lenton, not knowing where the hell you are.
Students on campus, Nottingham University
University of Nottingham
Nottingham
Visit website
Our Karni reps had a huge house party for the entire hall on the first night last year. I spent the afternoon wandering around and talking to all and sundry...
Reply 3
Hadn't even thought about it. I guess I was just gonna go with the flow (whatever the flow will be)
Reply 4
Be yourself... and you will be alright...
Reply 5
haha theres two things that may happen to you during university... wats always cool is just say randomly say hi to people, like what do you got to lose? if you look at it that way ull be good.... or ur gonna end up resorting to being a serious alcoholic to get some temporary liquid confidence:laugh:

ull be fiiiiiiiiine! im from a diff. country, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarely understand people, even when they speak english, i like hockey, no family in nottingham... im nervous but meh wat can you doo... just gotta learn to go for it or ur gonna end up wondering what if all the time:wink:
(edited 3 years ago)
Reply 6
Nelioneil: The usual tactic is just to knock on the doors of the rooms closest to yours and, assuming that someone opens them, give one of the following lines:

"Hi. I'm <insert name here> from <insert home town here>. I'm in <insert room number here>. I see that you're moving in, would you like a hand?"

or

"Hi. I'm <insert name here> from <insert home town here>. I'm in <insert room number here>. I see that you've moved in, would you like to join myself and everyone else in the bar?"

One word of advice; don't be paranoid that you must make friends with as many people as possible / the right people on the first day. It's not often (feel free to contradict here) that the people living either side of you will become your bosom buddies for life. All the people (with two exceptions) I'm friends with now that I met at Uni were through societies.

So my advice is join a few societies (that do things you're interested in) at Fresher's Fayre. But don't join every single one that you think you might like and DON'T hand over the membership fee. Go along to a meet-up first.

One of the best University societies meets every Saturday afternoon, see my sig. :smile:
Reply 7
I did two things when I got here, firstly I said goodbye to my parents BEFORE id unpacked - do not let them hang around!! Then without even unpacking, went up to the bar and got myself a pint, met 3 or 4 peeps up there and got chatting for an hour or so

Then, I went back to my place to unpack, knocked on my nighbours doors clutching a box of Pg and asked if anyone wanted a cuppa, simple as that. Good luck and enjoy
Reply 8
dunkymunky
I did two things when I got here, firstly I said goodbye to my parents BEFORE id unpacked - do not let them hang around!! Then without even unpacking, went up to the bar and got myself a pint, met 3 or 4 peeps up there and got chatting for an hour or so

Then, I went back to my place to unpack, knocked on my nighbours doors clutching a box of Pg and asked if anyone wanted a cuppa, simple as that. Good luck and enjoy


Good point. Your parents/guardians will be very emotional, with their little freddy (or whoever), leaving the family home for a few months. Yes you love them, but say goodbye and get them out the door.

And all the converstations you'll have over the next couple of days will revolve around who you are, where you're from, what A levels you did, what grades you got, what other Universities you applied to and what you're studying at Nottingham. If you're really stuck for something to say, try one of those.
Reply 9
Another tip - try and get there early. I arrived at about 5 in the afternoon, everyone else had been there for hours, had unpacked, said goodbye to their parents and were sitting in my neightbour's room chatting and getting to know eachother. I felt a little bit overwhelmed walking into a room full of 19 faces who all knew eachother's names already - so yeah, get there early if you can.

Be friendly, be confident and go to as many events as you can with as many people as you can. Fresher's week is designed to throw you all together and get you to know eachother so don't worry. xx
Reply 10
Note
Hadn't even thought about it. I guess I was just gonna go with the flow (whatever the flow will be)



Me too.
I'm taking copious amounts of wine and myself.

Alcohol and me - what could be better? :biggrin: No seriously, I'm sociable anyway, I figured I really will just walk up to random people on campus and be like 'Hey, I'm x.....' Yada yada ya... :biggrin:

If I don't do it now, I never will!
Reply 12
TheVlad
Iif you're in HuStu, there will be a huuuge party in K block, president's flat.



^o) I don't recall agreeing to this :eek:
hey
im on my gap year doing foundation art at mo at local uni, and as everyone was in same boat of not knowing anyone and being nervous it kinda made it easier to talk to people. as no one really knew anyone. it was qiute strange at first and the bestest mates ive made here have been some of the first ones i have talked to. plan to do the same next year. so if your in my corridor ill come over and say hullo
Reply 14
I'd help you all but my socialising skills were limited! Also not helped by continuous throwing up for 10 weeks in the first term... Beware the Freshers' Flu...
Reply 15
alex-HSH
^o) I don't recall agreeing to this :eek:


Don't worry, Michael will organise it. You just sort out your welcome speech to the freshers.
I'm going to be dress/talk/walk like Devvo in the first few weeks at Uni. Should be interesting.
Reply 17
Is there societies for about almost everything and anything? is there a society for video game player haha when im feeling geek-ish, and than like basketball, american football, drinking, maybe even hockey societies? Maybe a list of them from last years if available...
Reply 18
I don't know about a dedicated video games soc, but certainly some of the (slightly more geeky) socs will involve playing video games. There's certainly a basketball club and an American football club. For "hockey", take your pick from field hockey (Hockey Mens), Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey), Inline Hockey (Roller Hockey) and Street Hockey for beginners (BladeSoc).

As for drinking, all the societies (more or less) are an excuse for drinking. Some societies just go drinking, but with like-minded people, others will do an activity and then go drinking, others do an activity whilst drinking. If you want to drink something in particular, (Guinness, Real Ale, Wine, Spirits), there's socs for that. Word of warning: CockSoc has nothing to do with enjoying fine cocktails. A plastic dustbin full of cheap orange juice and rough vodka does not, in my opinion, constitute a cocktail. :biggrin:

Bear in mind that some Socs and clubs are started up by enthusiastic students, but the societies then die out if no-one takes over during the following year(s). If there's something you're passionate about and get enough people together, you can start a new society or revive an old one.

List of Socs (non-sports):
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/activities/activities_societies_list.php

List of Clubs (sports):
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/activities/activities_clubs.php
Reply 19
Acidedge
I don't know about a dedicated video games soc, but certainly some of the (slightly more geeky) socs will involve playing video games. There's certainly a basketball club and an American football club. For "hockey", take your pick from field hockey (Hockey Mens), Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey), Inline Hockey (Roller Hockey) and Street Hockey for beginners (BladeSoc).

As for drinking, all the societies (more or less) are an excuse for drinking. Some societies just go drinking, but with like-minded people, others will do an activity and then go drinking, others do an activity whilst drinking. If you want to drink something in particular, (Guinness, Wine), there's socs for that. Word of warning: CockSoc has nothing to do with enjoying fine cocktails. A plastic dustbin full of cheap orange juice and rough vodka does not, in my opinion, constitute a cocktail. :biggrin:

List of Socs (non-sports): http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/activities/activities_societies_list.php

List of Clubs (sports):
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/activities/activities_clubs.php


That is what im talking about... I think im going to join the beginners street hockey, till i learn how to rollerblade properly, and its a sweet deal they got an American Football society... Thanks for the links!:cool: