People in the City give their advice to this year’s freshers

Before starting uni, it can be a daunting prospect, but then two days later you suddenly find yourself dancing with all of your new friends without a care in the world. When it comes to an end many are left, not only with a ranging hangover, but also with a long list of regrets. The world ahead is too far away to even bother thinking about, and a salary and a flat in London haven’t even come onto your radar yet.

With Freshers’ Week just around the corner, we’ve been going around the City of London asking city bankers, entrepreneurs and anyone who turned university into a decent career what advice they would give their fresher selves.

Gary, 22, Recruitment

“I would tell myself to enjoy it even more than I did and to say yes more, not no.”

Darren, 36, Head of Entrepreneurship for RBS

“Consider all of your options and don’t plan your career from your university degree.”

Cathy and Isabella, both 25, Bankers

Cathy: “Don’t get too drunk, keep your dignity.”

Isabella: “Embrace the cringe.”

Oisin, IT manager

“Chill out and enjoy it, but not too much!”

Will, Project Manager ISG

“Gain feedback from your mentors, they are key.”

Daniel, 38, Financial Advisor

“Go to more lectures. Take more notice of what is going in lectures, take them more seriously and go out less.”

Sammie, 24, Vodafone

“Enjoy it, it goes so fast and three years is nothing. Make a lot of friends and go party!”

Nick, 37, Banker

“Make sure you get to the end. I’m American and studying is different to Americans and there is more focus on studying so I wouldn’t tell myself to go to more of the freshers’ events.”

Matthew, Construction Industry

“Be open to every opportunity, in your first week be open to everything. If you don’t like anyone then you know to avoid them.”

Nick, 40, Risk Manager

“Work harder and don’t stick with something you don’t like – assess your decision.”

Louise, 35, Client Services Manager and Amy, 24, Marketing Coordinator

Louise: “Have fun, don’t get too caught up in studies, because it’ll never be the same after university.”

Amy: “Stop worrying and enjoy it while you can, because it is the best time of your life and you have the least worries now at uni.”

Henry, 30, Consultant

“Maintain a good relationship with your tutor.”

Ellie, 30, Fundraising

“Don’t be afraid to get to know new people because it is easy to stick with the same people.”

Robert, Head of Trade RBS

“My son asked me the same question and I’d say the same to you. Get the degree done as soon as you can, get the right balance with the student lifestyle because a degree is something no one can take away from you. Always think about the end goal, do what you want and network.”

Alex, 31, Oil Shipper

“Embrace everything that Freshers’ week has to offer. Don’t have a façade, get involved in everything and get to know and make friends with all the different people that there are”.

Paul, 32, Banker

“Do the course that makes you happy. Embrace the experience, but don’t get too pissed because I wasn’t always on the ball in my classes, I was there, but I wasn’t really there so I would say don’t always be hungover.”