Despite what you’ve read or watched or been told, Freshers' week is not all about getting drunk with new friends, stealing cones from the sidewalk and meeting the love of your life at a flat party. Freshers’ week is painted as a teen’s fairy-tale introduction into young adulthood through heavy drinking and a release from the shackles of living under someone else’s roof. In fact, it is also a week of anxiety, homesickness and begging that you have something in common with at least one of your flatmates. It’s a week of following each other around like lost puppies, letting someone else lead the way like a tour guide pretending to know their way around a new city. Not to worry! Soon you’ll be playing spot the fresher and wondering why you were ever so stressed in the first place.
If you are anything like most, the constant never have I ever repartee at every pre’s will eventually have you wondering if you should just make something up to seem more interesting. Alas it was too late for me. On my first night at Uni, I was so nervous that I heavily drank all day. By the time it was 11 o’clock I was sat on the couch spilling all my secrets to a group of people I had only just met. Yet, they still choose to sign a lease to live with me again. It does get better!
Soon you’ll be wondering why you were ever so stressed in the first place.
Acceptance is key. You probably will develop a crush on someone you’ve only spoken to once. You probably will wake up to sick all over your floor. You probably will feel some sort of peer pressure to fit in, you probably will be judged and most of all, you probably will embarrass yourself. Through all the small talk you may not meet your people right away and that's okay, because you will.
If you ever find yourself struggling to make the most out of Freshers’ remember that you have a whole degree to find your feet. Not every nightclub will require a wristband, not every queue will be so long. Focus on making a routine, fill your room with things you love, try new things, join societies and most of all don’t put pressure on yourself to have the best time and the stress of Freshers' will become a distant memory.