Advice for first-year student

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Get involved. Go to the events in welcome week- the freebie fairs, society fairs, sports fairs etc as you might want to get involved in some of the things that they are offering. Even if you don't, it's worth going with your flatmates as a way to break the ice and do something that isn't just going out and you will also get to have a bit of a look around your uni buildings at the same time!

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Along the same lines, go to your course welcome events. Even if you are busy or you don't think it's worth going, I would really recommend just to go. I met some of my closest friends on my course at some of the welcome week events so it is definitely worth going to meet some people!

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Join a society. Societies are great ways of meeting lots of new people who have similar interests to you and it also just gets you out of your flat doing something fun!

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Try and spend as much time as you can in the kitchen during your first week of uni. This is where you will see lots of your flatmates and just sitting here to eat your meals is a good way of breaking the ice and allows you to chat to people more.

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Don't worry too much. Freshers week is a fun week, but don't worry if you don't feel like you have met your best friends, or of you don't get on with your flatmates that well. You will find your friends, some people find them in freshers week and some people find them after so don't stress too much about this because it will happen when it's meant to!

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Set a budget before you come to university. Doing it before you come blows you to try and stick to this rather than spending all of your money during freshers week and then being left with less money for the following weeks until you get paid or your student loan comes in.

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Join some group chats before you come. You can usually find groups for your university and then each accommodation will have one too which you can use to find people who you might be living with. I did this and it was nice to know a few of my flatmates before I moved in. However, there will be a lot of people in these groups trying to sell tickets for freshers events so try to ignore these and only buy things if you actually want to go.

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Bring some things for your room to make it feel like home. Pictures of friends and family are nice, or blankets and pillows etc to make it feel like your room as this will help if you get homesick at all.


I hope some of this helps and good luck at uni!

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

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enjoy first year it goes by so fast!

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find a routine that works for you early on - it will help with 2nd & 3rd year

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don't feel like you have to pack every single item you own - there's plenty of shops for you to grab stuff from

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the first January can feel pretty lonely after you've just been back home for Christmas so make sure you're keeping busy

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find a part-time job, really easy way to find friends!

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Get involved
Get involved with your flat mates, societies, course mates, university events.

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Attend your classes
Attending your lectures and classes means you meet more people and you get in a good routine.

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Look after your health
Try to eat well, stay active but also get plenty of rest.

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Explore your new city
Find places to eat, drink, study, shop. Explore the parks and green spaces.

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Take it easy
Don't put pressure on yourself to do too much, your university experience can be whatever you want it to be.

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Financial planning is key! I remember when I first got to uni, I spent a lot during the freshers week and on eating out. If I could go back, I'd plan a budget from the start to avoid any stress in the future. I'd recommend you to make a monthly budget that keeps a track of all your expenses and income. Always leave some room for occasionally treating yourself, going out with friends and enjoying university life!

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I'd recommend to get a part-time job if you can manage it with academics. Although, please always ensure that academics remains your top priority! Personally, I found working 10 hours per week during my first year manageable. Part-time jobs that are flexible such as campus jobs are usually the ideal choice.

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Learn how to cook basic meals before moving out! Personally, I really struggled during the first few weeks because I didn't know how to cook many dishes. So I'd recommend to practice cooking a few basic meals before going to university.

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Join student clubs and societies! It is a great way to get involved, learn new skills and make some amazing friends! Whether you are into sports, dance, or something niche, you can probably find a society for it. I joined the kickboxing and Women in Business society and it was one of the best decisions I made.