Freshers week at University of Reading

I’m really nervous about freshers week because I’ve never been to parties and I’m not interested in doing dRuGs, smoking or excessive drinking. I feel like I’m not gonna meet enough people and have no friends. What should I do?

I’m really nervous about freshers week because I’ve never been to parties and I’m not interested in doing dRuGs, smoking or excessive drinking. I feel like I’m not gonna meet enough people and have no friends. What should I do?

Not everyone is some crazy druglord/chain smoker/alcoholic at university...

@Meapsie1003 there are lots of people like you going to university. You're not expected to be a party animal. There are people who like to go out, particularly during freshers, but you don't have to go out excessively, or at all if you don't want to. If you do go out, also don't feel pressured to drink excessively, you could get one or two drinks throughout the night, interspersed with water (free in all clubs) or fizzy pop.

There are also plenty of things to do that don't include drinking or clubbing during freshers week. Freshers week actually consists of a lot of freebie fairs (my favourite thing!), free dominos pizza at the freebie fairs, there will be society fairs, sports fairs, the students union will hold a lot of events, in person or online, games you can participate in, with prizes usually being some university merch! These are a lot of fun, definitely get involved inn them. The events run by the students union are also a good way to meet your students union officers.

A good thing to do is to invite/go with flat mates to these events, to the freebie fairs etc. It's a good way to get to know each other and have fun in a non-alcoholic environment without any potential awkwardness.

When freshers week is approaching, look online for your universities freshers week, they should have a list of events lined up, so you can see in advance which ones you want to go to and plan accordingly! Societies will also be hosting taster sessions, these are a lot of fun to get involved in, meet new people, and find societies you want to join long term.

I hope you have a fantastic freshers week, and that this alleviates some of your worries


- Rosie

I feel as if I am in the same problem. For me I have decide to join a society or club that I am interested in and start by meeting or talking to people there. I am planning to join the MMA club at my university and intended to start making my first new friends there and I will also start making friends in my course as well. For the parties, smoking, drinking or drugs aspects I have never done any of those things hence I expect there to be others lie me and you who have not done or are not interested. So don't worry about those things instead try to connect with people similar to you that share the same hobbies or values this can be done in your course but you would need to take the initiative to start a conversation.