Things that Freshers need to know about Glasgow Uni before September

I remember the feeling of being a fresher as if it were yesterday. Getting to campus for the first time, feeling nothing but pure optimistic confusion. Unfortunately, it was four years ago, which now makes me a postgraduate student. As a postgrad girly, I consider myself a know-it-all when it comes to studying at the University of Glasgow. I’ve spent four years here, and I’m about to start a fifth, so I’d be in a bit of a pickle if I still didn’t know where I was going or what I was talking about.

For the first few weeks of uni, most first-years will feel a bit like a fish out of water. Or, a small fish in a big pond. Or some other fish related metaphor. So to help all the budding young fishies about to flood the West End, I’ve put together a little ‘need to know’ list for you all to consult come September.

1. UofG registration and enrolment

You know that treacherous process you’ve all just gone through at the start of August, that had you sitting in front of the laptop for probably no less than three hours trying to get enrolled in classes? You have to repeat that every single year, and no, it does not get any easier. But congrats, you’ve (hopefully) managed to get through it and now you can have 11 months of peace… kind of. 

2. The Unions

Glasgow Uni has two different unions, the Glasgow University Union and the Queen Margaret Union. The GUU is where you’ll find Sports Wednesdays and Hive Thursdays, but both the GUU and the QMU host Freshers Week events. I recommend trying both during Freshers to get a feel for each of them!

3. Societies and Sports Teams

The phrase ‘something for everyone’ has never been more accurate than when it’s used to discuss the UofG societies and sports clubs. I joined a sports team and a few different societies over my four years, so don’t worry about trying to attend them all in your first semester – you’ve got four years to try new things.

4. The St Andrews Building

SOS! The St Andrews Building is located approximately a ten to fifteen-minute walk from the JMS and the main building. So, if you have a class in the JMS immediately followed by one in the St Andrews, as I did circa 2023, all I have to say is good luck and prepare to run out of breath.

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5. JMS seating

First-year is exclusively for sitting on the weird stair/chair in the JMS building. Like, I don’t think I sat on a real chair for my entire first year of university. Pivotal moments of my life happened while sitting on those benches. I found out Taylor Swift was doing The Eras Tour while eating there in first year. And, if you’re not sitting on those stairs, then know that you’ll be wandering around trying to find a seat for about an hour.

6. The Workload

I know everyone’s workload is different based on their course, but I promise it won’t be as bad as you think it’ll be. You’ll get used to the level of independent work in no time. And I know several hundred people who made it through all four years without ever finishing all of their seminar readings.

7. Making friends

Every single person is in the same boat, so chat to the people sitting near you in lectures, participate and get to know people in your seminars, go out and meet people at the union, join a society and find friends with similar interests as you, join course group chats and meet the people you’re going to spend the next four years with – the options for making friends are endless.

8. Most lecturers are actually really nice

If you need help, don’t be afraid to email. Or attend office hours. Or approach a lecturer or tutor after class. They get it, you’re new here and needing help is totally normal (and expected). There is no such thing as a stupid question.

Your time at Glasgow Uni will be some of the best years of your life, so remember to let yourself have fun! No need to stress too much, at least not while you’re only in the first few months of First year. You’ll have enough stress to last a lifetime once you get to diss season in your Fourth year. 

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