The first week at uni is like stepping into a whole new world. One second you’re unpacking pots and pans you’ll never use, the next you’re being asked if you want to buy a wristband for “the biggest week of your life.” It can be overwhelming — everyone tells you this is the event that will make your uni experience, but which ones are actually worth it?
The classic band - most famously, Loosedays
The Loosedays' band specifically helps you quickly work out which clubs you like, which ones you’ll never go back to, and which ones you’ll end up in every week.
Loosecrawl is an event included on the Loosedays band, and you get a top to show you were part of it. I did it in my first year, and honestly? I’d say it was worth it just for the crawl. It’s basically a giant club crawl that introduces you to Newcastle nightlife. One night, loads of clubs, and the perfect excuse to go out as a flat when you’re all still figuring each other out.
For me, it was a brilliant way to meet people beyond my flat too. You spot someone else in the same top and suddenly you’re mates for the night. It’s chaotic, it’s sweaty, and it’s exactly what you need as your introduction to Newcastle. However, it gets very expensive, very quickly, especially the closer you get to term - so you might not get your money's worth. The same story unfortunately goes for many other wristbands.
NUSU and University events you can access for free
The truth is, this week has so much happening at once that you can’t do it all. You’ll meet new friends who want to do different things, you’ll get invited to random pres, or you’ll just be too tired to go out again. If you know you’re the type to commit and go out every night, it's still worth trying to make some of the on-campus events. You can find all events on the NUSU site, but here’s a little preview of what is happening:
- Societies & Volunteering Fair (16th September)
The ultimate “what could I do at uni?” day. You’ll find societies for everything — sports, politics, music, and niche hobbies you’ve never even thought of. The volunteering fair is also a nice way to discover opportunities that look good on your CV and genuinely help you meet people outside your course. Student Media (The Courier, Student Radio, and NUTV) is one example of volunteering at NUSU.
- Sports & Clubs Fair (17th September)
This is where you sign up (or at least pretend you’re going to sign up) for every sport under the sun. Even if you don’t fancy surfing at 6am or tackling people in rugby, it’s worth going along — the freebies alone make it worth it.
- Big Welcome Day (22nd September)
A proper feel-good campus day. Stalls, activities, and chances to mingle — a bit of everything. It’s one of those “dip in and out” kind of events where you’ll always stumble across something happening. The Courier are hosting Burnin' Big Welcome this day where you can watch the clubs' and societies' committee members be interviewed while taking on spicy wings.
- The Freebie Fair
If you only go to one thing, make it this. It’s basically Christmas day for students. Imagine walking around picking up vouchers, free slices of Domino’s, Tortilla vouchers, Smashburger samples, Starbucks discounts… the list goes on. There are also random stalls like NUOTC (the army cadets) or Psychopath, which means you’ll leave with a bag full of leaflets, pens, stress balls, and enough food to last at least a couple of days. Think of it as your initiation into student life: free stuff, and loads of it.
My Top Tips for your first week:
- Don’t burn out. It’s tempting to go out every night, but Freshers’ flu is real and it will take you down.
- Say yes to things. You don’t need to love every event, but trying them helps you meet people.
- Free food is your friend. You’re a student now — take every voucher and sample you can get.
- Don’t panic if you don’t meet your best mates instantly. Some people click in their first week, others later — both are normal.
- Don’t feel bad if you skip the big-ticket things — you won’t miss out as much as you think.
Remember: this week is supposed to be fun, not stressful. Whether you’re the type to hit every club night or you’d rather spend the week bouncing between fairs and freebies, the important thing is to do it your way. You don’t need every wristband going to have a great time — sometimes the best nights (and best memories) come from the unplanned stuff.
