Starting university can be both a daunting and exciting experience for all students and those taking the leap in the coming weeks will no doubt have mixed emotions about what’s to come.
For most people it means moving out of your family home for the first time, living with strangers and having to get used to a whole new city.
However, it’s important to remember that your first year is for finding your feet, you can take your time to settle in and won’t be expected to know everything at once.
As well as studying, university life is about having fun, new experiences and making friends for life.
In preparation for the new term, Freshers Guide have posted a TikTok sharing their advice to upcoming first years ready to move into student digs.
1. Take photos of your accommodation
The first piece of advice is to take pictures of your accommodation once you move in and again before you leave at the end of the year.
The former student in the video says ‘When you move into your halls, take a picture of everything and when you move out of your halls take a picture of everything.
‘When they try and charge you for sh**, that’s not your problem.’
Sometimes you can be wrongly charged for damaged items so it’s really important to keep track of what the place looked like when you move in.
If you’re renting privately, make sure you’re aware of your rights – we have all heard some student housing horror stories of mouldy bathrooms and unwelcome landlord visits.
2. Go to all the pre-drinks
The next tip was to make sure you attend everything you’re invited to especially in the first week – because everyone is looking to make friends at the start of the year.
Universities often hold freshers events such as club nights in their Students Union and some sober socials too like coffee mornings – attending these is a great way to meet people.
Unofficial events such as flat parties and pre-drinks are also a good way in.
The girl adds ‘During freshers go to all of the pre-drinks, all of the different flats, that’s how I made most of my friends and they still haven’t been able to get rid of me.’
3. Facebook is your best friend
Upcoming students are probably more interested in social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, but according to the expert, now is the time to make Facebook your website of choice.
She said: ‘You’re gonna need to turn into a middle aged mum, Facebook is now your best friend.
‘Go on all the group chats that are for your halls, your course – you will make more mates from there’.
4. Get drunk with your flat mates
The next advice from the TikTok comes from the former students personal experience.
She jokingly advised: ‘If you’re struggling to communicate with your flat mates, just get them all drunk.
‘That’s what happened with us and we were inseparable for the rest of the year.’
5. Go out with people you trust
A huge part of the university experience and the freshers experience specifically, is going out clubbing.
During Freshers Week, most students head to the clubs almost every single night, making most of the fun before classes begin.
However, it’s important to be safe and go out with people you trust.
The video adds ‘When you go out, for the love of God, please go out with people that you trust because old weird men can spot a fresher from a mile off and can smell your little scent’.
6. Suck up to your tutors
The girl in the video also controversially swears by sucking up to your tutors.
She says ‘Do not be scared to ar** lick your tutors, ar** lick the sh** out of them because then your grades will go from here to here, I swear by it’.
Whether it gets you anywhere or not, it can’t hurt to get in their good books.
7. Don’t go home in the first term
The best way to avoid homesickness is to refrain from going home in your first term.
Moving away from home is a big life transition and a lot of young people find it tricky – having a wobble a week in, and crying to your mum down the phone is a universal experience.
It might seem like a good idea at the time to head back to your home comforts, but it won’t be beneficial in the long run.
You will be forced to be more independent if you stay, going home once opens up a wormhole of wanting to be home all the time.
The former student added: ‘Do not go home in the first term, it will make your home sickness a lot worse.
‘You’ve just got to stick it out until Christmas and then you’re home.’
She ended the video by jokingly saying ‘Unless any family member dies then you can go home.’
