Welcome to Cardiff bestie! Here’s the definitive A-Z of being a Cardiff fresher

It’s officially A-Level Results Day 2025, which is big news whether you’re in first or third year. It marks the start of a new year full of silly fresh and obviously a week of back to back nights out that riddle us with colds for months.

So to catch you up to speed, here’s a comprehensive alphabet for university in Cardiff. Relating to each of these is what will define you as a true Cardiff student in the upcoming year.

Take this alphabet guide as a checklist, 26 things every Cardiff University fresher will inevitably encounter.

A is for awful weather

Welcome to Cardiff – have you bought your raincoat yet?

B is for Berocca

Stock up now, you’ll need it and guaranteed little Tesco will sell out of it.

C is for chips

Whether you venture as far as Chippy Alley, or stick to the SU’s Snack Shack, chips after a night out are inevitable tbh.

D is for drinking games

If we have to play Ring of Fire one more time…

E is for empty bank account

Try not to blow that student loan all in one go, guys.

F is for fresher

Duh.

G is for Gap Yarh

Guaranteed, at least one of your new flatmates took a gap yarh. Your biggest mistake will be asking about it – you’ll never hear the end of their travel tales.

H is for homesick

It’s kind of inevitable that you’ll get homesick at some point, but that’s so okay. Our top tip? Chances are your flatmates are feeling the same. Go out for the day together, explore your city and shoo those blues away.

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I is for inter-uni rivalry

From your very first day, be it at Cardiff University, Met or USW, students at Cardiff’s other unis will become your enemies.

J is for Jägers

The sooner you get this phase over the better, imo. The sheer caffeine power of the humble Jäger might keep you going while you traipse back along North Road, but the hangxiety the next day is cruel.

K is for kissing strangers

What’s a silly fresh night out without necking a random in Liveys? Just make sure they’re actually a stranger and not your flatmate…

L is for lanyard

The way to spot a fresher is that bright purple lanyard. Please, we’re begging, stop wearing them to the club.

M is for Misfits

If you’re a fresher and you haven’t found your way to Misfits, you’re missing out on a classic Cathays night out.

N is for nights in

You might be tempted to spend your first few weeks at uni going on a rager every night, but there’s a lot to be said for staying in Taly, getting in your trackies, ordering a takeaway and bonding with your new flatmates over Netflix.

O is for ‘oh my god, is that a silverfish?’

Unfortunately, if you’re living in uni accom, you’ll more than likely see a few of these creepy crawlies.

P is for pesto pasta

Let’s be real, that’s all you’ve cooked so far.

Q is for quiet

You will experience very little of this in the first few weeks!

R is for rats

You’re not a true Cardiff resident until you’ve been jumpscared by a rat on Colum Road on your way to a 9am.

S is for silly fresh

You are one, you’ll be called one for the next year, and that’s okay. Just accept it, babe.

T is for Taly

The most iconic of the uni residences, if you don’t end up there for at least a pres during Freshers’ we’d be surprised.

U is for Uber Eats

There’s no better way to bond with your new flatmates than a cheeky takeaway (and an angry phone call from the delivery driver who doesn’t know how to find Senghenydd Court.)

V is for VK

Trust us when we say that by the end of Freshers’ you’ll have consumed your body weight in VK.

W is for ‘what course are you doing?’

The immortal question, asked endlessly at every pres, social and tbh any given moment. You’ll never remember a single person’s answer, so just don’t ask.

X is for x-rated incidents

There’s always at least one thing that happens over Freshers’ that you absolutely can’t tell your parents about.

Y is for Yolo

It’s a rite of passage, and we know you’ll be there every week for the next three years. A Cardiff University alphabet staple.

Z is for Zzzzzs

Have you slept yet? We doubt it. Between the welcome talks, the getting lost in town and the many many nights out, we hope you’ve managed at least a couple of hours of sleep.