The Student Room Group

How does Freshers work?

Hi everyone!
So I’m confused as to how freshers actually works. My course starts on 20th September, but that’s when freshers week is. How does freshers work? Will my first lecture be on 20th September or is it the week after?
Any help/advice/guidance is much appreciated!!
I'm pretty sure the first week is just an induction week, and lectures start in your second week.
Original post by arob0697
Hi everyone!
So I’m confused as to how freshers actually works. My course starts on 20th September, but that’s when freshers week is. How does freshers work? Will my first lecture be on 20th September or is it the week after?
Any help/advice/guidance is much appreciated!!

Hi

schools typically run for 6 weeks followed by a break. Either a mid-term 1-week break or an end of term 2-week or longer break.

Universities use Semesters. There is 'week 0' at the start of each semester followed by 12 weeks of lectures and a further 2-3 weeks of exams. Freshers week is held in week 0. In Semester 1, during week 0 you turn up to uni and register for your course and pay your fees. It's also the week when all the clubs and societies have stalls in the students union building. For a fee, you can join as many of these societies as you want - ballroom dancing, archery, lacrosse etc.

Your department will have arranged a social get together so that you can meet other 1st years taking your course - biochem, law, engineering etc. Your hall of residence may have some social functions too. Freshers week is just an orientation week, a getting to know people week. No lectures in Freshers week. From week 1 your lectures and labs will commence.
Reply 3
The date that actually matters is when people move in to halls, and they'll tell you that in advance.
First week would most likely be a bunch of introductory stuff that nobody will remember anything of by the end of the month. In subsequent years it's a bit more immediate.
Apparently freshers week is just a lot of partying, sex and drugs so it’s a no from me.
Universities don’t schedule a “party week” separate from the first week of the course. You’re expected to balance social activities with course and life admin related activities.
Original post by arob0697
Hi everyone!
So I’m confused as to how freshers actually works. My course starts on 20th September, but that’s when freshers week is. How does freshers work? Will my first lecture be on 20th September or is it the week after?
Any help/advice/guidance is much appreciated!!

Hey @arob0697

Freshers week is during the induction week of your course. Lots of societies attend freshers week so it's a great way to meet some of their members if you're interested in a particular society! There are other stalls set up e.g. student union hand out freebies. Lots of people are on campus that week handing out flyers such as pizza hut who were offering discounts on pizza during freshers.

You'll also be getting an induction on your course and you might have a few introductory lectures on your first day. I had an introductory lecture where we met the head of our school, followed by a mini tutorial then an IT session to learn more about the university portal and learning system. Your course will most likely have a similar induction week depending on the subject you're studying.

If you have any other questions then I'd be happy to answer them :smile:

Melissa- Student Ambassador
Original post by arob0697
Hi everyone!
So I’m confused as to how freshers actually works. My course starts on 20th September, but that’s when freshers week is. How does freshers work? Will my first lecture be on 20th September or is it the week after?
Any help/advice/guidance is much appreciated!!

Hiya @arob0697,

So Fresher's may vary from uni to uni but what typically happens is that your accommodation will provide you with a move in date where you can move into your halls of accommodation. Then that next week that follows will be Freshers (however, at some uni's freshers is 2 weeks long) where there will be events during the day (Like the Fresher's Fair, Societies Fair etc) and events in the evening (like themed events and celebrity specials at clubs). During this week you may have induction lectures, so will meet with your class and have a few icebreaker games and get to know about the module, or you may not have any scheduled at all, or you may properly start your lectures and have introductory lectures/ start to learn some content.

You should find out your timetable a week or two before you start which will give you abetter guide for what your first few weeks will look like!

Best of luck! Sam- Official Student Rep :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by mike23mike
Hi

schools typically run for 6 weeks followed by a break. Either a mid-term 1-week break or an end of term 2-week or longer break.

Universities use Semesters. There is 'week 0' at the start of each semester followed by 12 weeks of lectures and a further 2-3 weeks of exams. Freshers week is held in week 0. In Semester 1, during week 0 you turn up to uni and register for your course and pay your fees. It's also the week when all the clubs and societies have stalls in the students union building. For a fee, you can join as many of these societies as you want - ballroom dancing, archery, lacrosse etc.

Your department will have arranged a social get together so that you can meet other 1st years taking your course - biochem, law, engineering etc. Your hall of residence may have some social functions too. Freshers week is just an orientation week, a getting to know people week. No lectures in Freshers week. From week 1 your lectures and labs will commence.

This is so helpful! Thank you so much
Reply 9
Original post by University of Portsmouth Student Rep
Hiya @arob0697,

So Fresher's may vary from uni to uni but what typically happens is that your accommodation will provide you with a move in date where you can move into your halls of accommodation. Then that next week that follows will be Freshers (however, at some uni's freshers is 2 weeks long) where there will be events during the day (Like the Fresher's Fair, Societies Fair etc) and events in the evening (like themed events and celebrity specials at clubs). During this week you may have induction lectures, so will meet with your class and have a few icebreaker games and get to know about the module, or you may not have any scheduled at all, or you may properly start your lectures and have introductory lectures/ start to learn some content.

You should find out your timetable a week or two before you start which will give you abetter guide for what your first few weeks will look like!

Best of luck! Sam- Official Student Rep :smile:

Thanks so much! Really helpful information
Original post by arob0697
Hi everyone!
So I’m confused as to how freshers actually works. My course starts on 20th September, but that’s when freshers week is. How does freshers work? Will my first lecture be on 20th September or is it the week after?
Any help/advice/guidance is much appreciated!!


Basically a get settled in week.
Meet the main course staff, tutor, your peers. Get an introduction on the structure and facilities, setup an IT details.

Simultaneously the student union SU, run events to socially integrate you, so activities and fairs with info about sports/societies/events.

Then their are also events like BBQs, pub nights, clubbing....
Original post by PQ
Universities don’t schedule a “party week” separate from the first week of the course. You’re expected to balance social activities with course and life admin related activities.


yeah they do lol. Where are you from? In the UK freshers is before lectures starts. At my uni there was some introduction lectures and anti-discrimination lectures in freshers, but no formal education
Original post by potatohouse
yeah they do lol. Where are you from? In the UK freshers is before lectures starts. At my uni there was some introduction lectures and anti-discrimination lectures in freshers, but no formal education


So you had a week of "course and life admin related activities" alongside your social activities

Did you read what I wrote before deciding to disagree with it by giving an example that demonstrated it was true for you?
Original post by PQ
So you had a week of "course and life admin related activities" alongside your social activities

Did you read what I wrote before deciding to disagree with it by giving an example that demonstrated it was true for you?

No the university had a separate party week. Separate to the start of my course. I think you misunderstood :smile:
Original post by potatohouse
No the university had a separate party week. Separate to the start of my course. I think you misunderstood :smile:


"At my uni there was some introduction lectures and anti-discrimination lectures in freshers"

That's exactly what I meant when I said there are "course and life admin related activities". You have things that you have to do alongside social activities - it isn't a 100% party week. :rolleyes:
Original post by PQ
"At my uni there was some introduction lectures and anti-discrimination lectures in freshers"

That's exactly what I meant when I said there are "course and life admin related activities". You have things that you have to do alongside social activities - it isn't a 100% party week. :rolleyes:

Well, it wasn't course related, perhaps admin related in the loosest sense. But my point is, it is a week for partying. That is the aim of the week and the lecturers know that
Original post by potatohouse
it is a week for partying. That is the aim of the week and the lecturers know that

Your first post to me was "Where are you from?"

I'm from a university. I've worked in universities for decades.
I can assure you that lecturers do not consider freshers week/induction week "a week for partying" or that that is the aim for the week.
Freshers week sucks. Spend an entire week meeting people you don't even know, all while getting intoxicated and doing random silly crap.

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