This week, new students pour into Cardiff’s universities, hailing from anywhere from Ponty to Peking. They’ll be excited to see what the first year will bring, from the legendarily party-filled freshers week to their first Christmas coursework binge, their first student elections week and their final exams of the year.
The Sprout has been running in Cardiff since 2007, and some of our main contributors have been university students. Which means our archive has quite a few good Freshers stories for you, to fill you with hope, excitement, maybe a little anxiety- but most of all illustrate what your first year is likely to entail.
Graduation is closer than you think, so start thinking about job prospects now. Plan what work experience you can cram into each summer holiday and make some business connections as well as uni connections.
Life in the Fresher Lane
This article concludes by saying “Get out there, try your best, and make university something to remember, rather than one massive hangover! ” Work hard, play hard, I think is the message here. Remember that uni is a time to try new things, but make sure you lay a bit of groundwork for when you graduate- get some work experience, make some business connections, and prepare for that dreadful graduate job hunt. Also remember that, whilst it’s great to go along with the crowd and try and make some new mates, you’re your own person and that, more than ever before, everything you do is up to you- don’t give in to needless peer pressure.
No student kitchen has EVER looked half this tidy.
Halls Stink! My first Horrible Term at University!
This article from Michelle Davies is a bit of a horror story, and I’m sorry to say, though unlikely, it does happen! You’ll be amazed at how many things can go wrong when living with other people. Michelle’s a great writer, so I’ll just quote her: “I had romantic ideas about living in a scene from Friends with jovial banter and a close knit support network but it isn’t all practical jokes and late night chats. There’s a lot of compromise and so many chores! Where does all the washing-up come from?” Anyone who’s lived in a houseshare or halls knows this is so, so true. You’re not in your parents’ house anymore!
Never mind your halls, soon enough you will sleep in the library.
I Chose University
In this post, G1nge20 describes freshers’ fortnight with wide eyed amazement. The moving in process is described- it’s very simple, the university really do make it a smooth process for first years. Then, there’s parties and new friends. Pretty simple and a lot of fun- a great way to get settled in before the work starts which is what it’s all about. G1nge writes about joining loads of societies, getting involved with elections and then getting ready for exams at the end of the year. There’s one other thing here- from Newport originally, G1nge didn’t feel like Newport was home anymore after a while. I’m not sure what university G1nge went to- it might not have been Cardiff- but this is common. Sometimes, you just have to fly the nest.
Don’t forget that The Sprout is here for you. When your loan is running low, check out our weekly Free and Cheap Things to Do column. We have a money advice section:
After Freshers you might be feeling a little partied out and might need one of these:
If you struggle getting round Cardiff check out the revamped Travel section. If you’re a Cardiff Uni student, you can get free bike hire- no excuse for lecture lateness now!
If you are having any other troubles, wherever you are in Wales Meic can help.
