Before starting the first year of university, you are promised the time of your life; the new lifestyle means no parents, no rules and plenty of free time to dedicate to drinking and socialising. However things can quickly spiral into a never ending cycle of cringing, hangovers and regret. Forget the ‘Do’s’ and follow these ‘Don’ts’ in order to survive your first year.
Don’t think you are invincible.
Fresher’s Flu does exist, and unless you have an immune system stronger than that black absinthe you drank last night, you will struggle to avoid it. From a combination of a bunch of new people carrying their different strains of germs, a lack of sleep and living amongst overflowing bin bags, it’s only a matter of time before the sniffles begin – shortly followed by that inescapable feeling of being hit by a double-decker bus. Twice. In fact, being hit by a bus is probably the more favourable sensation.
Some freshers also seem to believe that they are immune to the effects of alcohol; chances are that downing 10 tequilas whilst spinning around will result in projectile vomiting all over your new flatmates, which, actually, is not the best way to make friends.
Oh, and you will get fat if you eat takeaways every night of the week. You are a student, not a superhero.
Don’t call your lecturer ‘Sir’ or ‘Miss’.
It is time to take the nappy off- you are a mature, laundry-doing, meal-cooking, bathroom-cleaning adult now (at least that’s what you’ll tell your parents). Scrap the school ritual of raising your hand to ask a question, and embrace the truth that you can go to the toilet without asking. There is no need to sit and wait patiently for the bell to ring at the end of lectures, because you will be waiting a very long time.
Embrace your new adulthood by really engaging with your lecturers – while they may still be authority figures, they are there as adults t0 help you, another adult. That dynamic can be a little hard to get used to at first, but the quicker you can appreciate it, the better.
Don’t use your flatmate’s cordial.
If you are caught being a food thief early on in the year then you are likely to get the blame for every single thing that goes missing from that moment on, be it cutlery 0r crisps. If you’re ever stood there wondering whether to pinch some of your flatmate’s Ribena, instead of your own supermarket brand, just think about how you would feel if it had happened the other way around. Remember how, at home, your brother would always steal that last bar of chocolate that you had saved for a specific reason – remember how angry you were about that. Now imagine that it wasn’t your brother but someone else, someone you’d only just met… It doesn’t bear thinking about does it? So, don’t do it. Don’t be ‘that guy’.
Don’t blow your loan as soon as you get it.
Kanye West may be able to afford bottles of Cristal and Grey Goose on nights out, but unfortunately, you are not Kanye West. Remember that you have rent to pay and remember that you do have to eventually pay your student loan back to the Government (as sad as the reality is, it’s not free money). Getting giddy with the plastic as soon as the money enters your account means that you will be surviving on a diet of baked beans and fresh air by the end of term. A diet of baked beans and air will not be good for your health or your mood as hunger sets in, and with the end of the term being deadline season and exam time, take it from us, you’re going to need the comfort food.
Don’t use Wikipedia.
What this should say is do not reference Wikipedia in your essay (you will probably use it for general information all of the time). People can change the information that is published on the Wikipedia site, so not everything you read is necessarily true or credible. You should always try to do your research by using a reputable academic source; remember that you do actually get marked for referencing. Instead, try hitting Google Scholar or Summon – which are both great ways to start your research before wandering blindly around the library.
Don’t attend lectures drunk.
You wake up after two hours sleep, Sambuca still coursing through your bloodstream, and for some reason you think that it is a fantastic idea to make an appearance at your 9am lecture. For the first 10 minutes, you will feel euphoric and extremely pleased with yourself for attending – especially as a good attendance record is something to be proud of. But, as the initial sense of achievement slowly ebbs away, you will start to feel – pardon our french – as rough as a badgers arse.
The solution to this is to try and schedule nights out when you have afternoon lectures, or agree to stop drinking at a specifically defined time so that you have enough time to let your system try and soak it all up before the morning. If all else fails; to sober up before you go to your lecture try and eat some stodgy food, drink plenty of water, brush your teeth, neck some mouthwash and chomp some chewing gum. All of the above and repeat – no one wants to be sat next to the person with booze-breath, especially if they got a good night’s sleep and are actually trying to concentrate.
In short, first year is exciting as it is scary. You’re paving your way in the world, and you’re trying your hardest to manage a hectic social life filled with new experiences, as well as a degree subject that you’re passionate about and engaged with. Ultimately, you will make mistakes. Everyone, at some point in first year, has done something that they will forever cringe at – but these short tips should help you get into your second year with a few less of them.
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