Thwack. That’s the sound life makes when it hits you in the face, telling you get your s*** together. Fresher’s Week can’t last forever, no matter how much we want it to.
We’re here for you. In your hungover, tired state, amidst the debris of last night’s pre-drinks, we’ve made you a checklist of things to sort out before your first lecture kicks off. Fresher’s Week is over, but your amazing life at uni has only just begun.
1. Get back on the health bandwagon
Your poor, poor liver. Going cold turkey on the alcohol may not be totally advisable, but some moderation, a little bit of clean eating, and some light exercise will do you a whole lot of good.
2. Go to all of your introductory lectures
As tempting as it is to just sack all of them off and grab notes off someone else later, you should really, really go to your introductory lectures. It’s not only about all the #learnin you’re going to do, but you’ll also get to meet your new coursemates, and get wind of any important start-of-year department information.
3. Stock up on essential groceries
Pasta. Rice. Herbs & Spices. You know, the staple stuff you probably eat daily. We’re guessing you probably either finished the freezer meals your parents packed for you, so it’s time to get cracking. Remember, don’t sniff at the supermarket Basics range!
4. Do reading for at least three of your seminars
Not going to lie, this is going to be a doozy. Your seminar reading is going to be confusing, hard, and it will probably make you wonder why you’ve taken that course in the first place. We’ve now set you a challenge – take an entire day to do some mega prepping for your next few ones, and remember to also write down any potential questions you may have for your seminar tutors.
5. Join at least one society
We love societies, and we’re not ashamed. You never know what’s out there until you try, so leave the relative comfort of your halls and venture into the undiscovered realms of your uni societies. You never know what you’re going to find.
6. Get out of the campus bubble and explore your student town
Not everybody goes to unis in big cities like London, Birmingham or Manchester, but this doesn’t mean you can’t find some seriously lovely hidden gems in your uni town. Grab a couple of your new uni mates and take a bus into town, and maybe challenge each other to find the most interesting new place.
7. Cook a flat meal with your new housemates
Nothing like a flat spag bol sesh to really kick off the bonding process. Grab your aprons, delegate tasks, and watch as your beautiful feast comes together. Top tip: this is probably the best time to decide on a flat TV show to watch together.
8. Start planning out your Halloween costume
You’ve now got a month to decide on your #relevant 2016 Halloween costume. Think Stranger Things’ ‘Eleven’ or maybe the new Ghostbusters – but be warned, just about everybody is going to try the Joker and Harley Quinn this year. Trust us, go for something different.
9. Look for a flexible part-time job
Your student maintenance loan is probably not going to last you the length of the term. Take a look at the vacancies in your student union, or maybe hit up your uni’s library to see if they’ve got any spots to fill to get that extra dolla рџ’ё
10. Have a look at the extra events your academic department puts on
Uni isn’t just about lectures, y’know. There are networking events with employers, guest speakers, after-hours drinks and loads more. Take a look on your intranet, or see if your department’s academic society has anything on.
11. Buy your textbooks secondhand
Don’t buy your textbooks first-hand, yo. They’re usually three times more expensive, so wait until your uni puts on their annual secondhand book fair and tick off the tomes on your reading list
12. Get organised and make some plans
You know what’s really satisfying? Getting a massive monthly calendar for your wall and penciling in all of your plans for the term. Sort out your schedule and shape your term the way you want it to look like – because it’s always nice to know what to look forward to.
13. Call your parents
For real dude. They’re probably wondering if you’re still alive.
