What I wish I’d known about freshers’ week

How are you feeling about freshers’ week? And how are you planning on approaching it?

In this piece, I share a couple of things I wish I’d known for freshers’ week – hindsight, you absolute beauty.

I hope my reflections give you a chance to pause, reflect and work out what you want your ‘welcome week’ to look like. And – let’s be honest – what you don’t want it to look like. Because that’s just as valid.

Wondering how to approach freshers’ week?

Feeling nervous about freshers’ week? Want to know how to get through freshers’ week in a way that’s authentic to you? Or how to make the most of this new chapter without completely running yourself into the ground?

In this piece, I share what I wish I’d known about freshers’ week and how I’d approach it if I were to wind the clock back to September 2016 (please tell me it wasn’t that long ago) … 

I’ll also be drawing on an ancient text: the Bible. Think that’s an unexpected source? Maybe so, but I think it’s got a few handy reminders on how to set boundaries – something I’m not always great at, still trying to get better at, and yep, will probably always need to work on.

So, if you can relate, keep reading. Here’s what three years at uni taught me about freshers’ week and the words of wisdom my postgraduate-self would share with younger me ...

Lesson one: you don’t have to say yes to everything

But I’ll let you in on a little secret: you don’t. 

The Bible doesn’t give us any direct tips on how to make it through freshers’ week – it’s just a little bit too old for that – but what it does offer are examples of people standing up and saying, ‘You know what? I’m sticking to what’s important to me.’

And it also offers a message that we aren’t all the same. We all have different skills and interests. We won’t be into the same things. And there’s beauty in that.

One ancient writer celebrated this idea by using the example of clay. For him, we aren’t here by chance, but we’re crafted by a higher presence. Talking about God, he said this: ‘We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand’ (Isaiah 64.8). The message? In the hands of a master ceramist, no piece of pottery is the same; each is unique. And that’s what makes it special. That’s what gives it value. 

Maybe you aren’t sure whether there’s a creator God but you resonate with the idea that we’re all different – we don’t fit one mould. And maybe you want to go into freshers’ week with this idea in the back of your mind, reminding you to focus on what makes your heart sing and not feel pressured to go with the crowd if you don’t want to.

The freshers’ fair does a great job of celebrating our differences and the ways they bring us together. Do go check it out. You might just discover the next thing you want to say yes to – or say no to – with confidence.

Lesson two: you aren’t a robot – take a break when you need it

Personally, I’ve never been all that good at focusing on the ‘yourself’ bit, but I’m getting better and want to get better. And maybe you know the feeling.

Uni is a great place to start doing exactly that, especially if it’s your first time away from home.

We aren’t robots. We can’t just keep going. So, if you need a rest, take it. If you need to catch up on sleep, do that. And *shock horror* if you feel like you need to say no to another night of pizza and eat some greens instead, that’s okay too – maybe I should have done more of that ...

Lesson three: remember, freshers’ Week is just the start

If your summer before starting uni was anything like mine, the chances are that freshers’ week dominated the conversation more than anything else – way more than the reading list, that’s for sure.

But it’s also ... two weeks. At most.

Or perhaps, if fresher’s week is your worst nightmare, the knowledge that it lasts just two weeks helps you breathe a little easier, knowing your current situation won’t last forever. And that’s okay too. 

You don’t have to have everything figured out straight away. There will be plenty of time and opportunities to make friends. When you start your course properly, you’ll meet people with similar interests and passions (and yes, some will gladly chat about reading lists for hours if that’s what you’re after).

As you go into welcome week with the reminder that it’s *just two weeks*, are there ways that you can make the most of each day – in a way that’s meaningful to you? 

Or, if you feel like this is something you just have to get through, what are you looking forward to about the weeks that follow? What can you set your eyes on?

Lesson four: just phone home already

But it’s normal to miss your loved ones. Let me say that again: it’s normal. 

And your people are there for you. Or as one ancient book of wise words puts it: ‘Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share trouble?’ (Proverbs 17.17).

So, just give them a call. And, if you’re feeling homesick, tell them. If you’re worried about something or have a question that a quick search won’t solve, ask them. They'll probably be just as glad to hear from you as you are to talk to them.

Or perhaps you might want to try having a go at talking to God. What would you share about how your day has gone so far?

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