WHAT IVE LEARNT IN MY FIRST WEEK OF UNI
Do not go food shopping on an empty stomach - just trust me on this one. It’s an awful idea. I thought it was a myth, but it is not. You will buy the most useless crap, that’s disgustingly good but tainted by failure. And you’ll blow all your money without any proper food.
ALWAYS write a food list - you’re bound to do your shopping and forget something, I always do. Every time I go to Tesco I go with the intention of getting a doorstop. Do I have one? Of course not. Instead I have a million potatoes because I can’t remember whether or not there’s any in the fridge. I have too many of one thing and none of the things I meant for.
Take the flyers - you probably don’t want one, you probably won’t join, but if nothing else they act as a handy chewing gum paper. Also once you get one flyer, everyone wants to talk to you and give you another. It paints you as a familiar face and gives you a good idea of who you can ask if/when you get lost.
Talk to as many people at freshers fayre as possible - you may not be that interested in their club, and you may not end up joining but it’s the same as with the flyers. You meet people, and everyone’s stressed out at the fayre. It’s loud, it’s crowded and if you’re lil like me you can’t see much. The people at the booth are your best way of figuring out which clubs are interesting and you get a much better picture of that from the people participating than you do the flyers.
Get a doorstop - it’s easy to become closed off into your room, and not know whether anyone else is home. Personally I’m sharing a flat with 5 other girls (waiting on number 6, join us bud), and we’ve tried to have a fairly open door policing, holding the doors open so that everyone knows we are home and can pop in and say hi.
Sit in the common areas - easiest way to get to know your flatmates, and whoever they bring over. Whether it’s the kitchen, to cook, or if you have a living room, it’s just nice to have the option to sit and talk if they want to, it doesn’t feel like an invasion as such as it would to walk into someone’s room.
Get appropriate cleaning materials - you’re gonna need that sponge, that washing up liquid and a washing brush.
Bins make very good buckets - I don’t think I need or want to explain that one.
Know your limits - I lucked out, thankfully, and the friends ive made looked after me when I didn’t realise how much (or little I should say) I could hold. Try not to be that person, but if you are don’t worry about it too much, it becomes an interesting story if nothing else.
Don’t buy the wristband - unless you plan to go to every single party thrown, it’s just not worth it. Also you may be planning to go to all of the parties, and still end up not attending a single one. There’s lots of flat parties thrown, and people tend to stick more towards those than going out to the clubs. It’s easier to buy as you go so that you don’t waste your money.
Sit outside even if you don’t go to the parties - literally just sitting there seems to be an invitation to chat to drunk people, smile and wave boys smile and wave. It’s hilarious. It sounds like an awful idea but just chatting to people and familiarising yourself with the people around you is genuinely quite fun.
Buy reusable bags - it’s an entire year, a whole ass year of shopping. You do not want to be using plastic bags all year, aside from the 5p charge (we broke) it’s 2019. Let’s get this environment back up and running correctly! As much as possible.
Do not replace beer with vodka in peer pong - enough said.
Take your recreational activities - fancy words recreational, not the point, there’s going to be times where you don’t want to go out, and there’s only so much to do in a room on your own. It takes up space but you’re going to miss being able to do the things you love and you have more time than you think. It’s not always go go go.
Cards are a good opener - easy way to make friends, easy activity to play and you learn new games. Irish snap is fucking painful man.
Breadsticks are the shit - especially when drunk
Join the group chats - they talk so much, mute them, but it’s where lots of party invitations happen and general chat about what you need for courses and getting buddies to explore with. Just do it.
