What I Wish I'd Known as a Fresher

When you start university for the first time, there is a lot of information to take in!

When I was a fresher, university felt very overwhelming. Mostly because I was coming as an older student and I had previously been used to a 9-5 weekly grind, so I was in for a big change for sure.

Whilst I was finding my feet, I really wish I’d joined more clubs and societies. There’s no doubt in my mind that this would have helped me settle in massively!

I helped to form HUBSoc, the Business Society in my second year, (best of luck to the new committee!) and the socials and events we held as a society last year were a fabulous way of meeting new people, and really improved my university experience.

Another thing I wish I’d done is check out the gym and the fitness clubs… It’s no joke that it’s easy to fall into bad habits at university, and now I keep thinking to myself, ‘if I had just joined those two years ago, I could be so ripped now…’ (But of course joining is no guarantee I would have kept up with it!).

Find student discounts

Other things to bear in mind are the vast variety of discounts and perks you can receive as a student. I already knew about the NUS card, but did you know about Student Beans, UNiDays, and the Student Money Saver website?

Each one has valuable tips for managing your personal finances at university, as well as the occasional freebie, which is always appreciated!

There is more training on offer

Another thing I wish I had known, which I’ve only found about this year, is also the amount of extra training you can request whilst you’re at uni! The IT services and such can help you learn a huge amount of programmes relevant to your course, whether that’s IBM SPSS for us Business, Accounting and Research students, or if you simply need to get more to grips with using Microsoft Office.

If I’d have known this, it would have definitely made my life a lot easier when writing some assignments! Though, if a certain program is vital to an assignment, your tutors will let you know.

Don't be afraid of new experiences

Overall, the best advice I can impart to any freshers this year is not to be afraid of new experiences. Your first week or two will be gentle and will ease you in, which leaves for plenty of time for trying new things, and meeting new people. The Students’ Union and iPoint are both excellent resources to find out what’s going on in and around Huds – as well as these blogs!

One of the things you’ll remember most about university is the experiences and friendships you make, so don’t be afraid to get stuck in.