Uni to rebrand ‘freshers’ as ‘welcomes’ because of ‘negative connotations’

A uni is to start calling its first years “welcomes” instead of “freshers”, in a rebrand which spells trouble for catchy pre-drink chants.

Gloucestershire Uni is making the change due to “negative connotations” over the iconic word, and will now call its events “Welcome 2020”.

Instead of normal events, the uni will be doing virtual events, aimed at reducing the spread of COVID.

Down the road from Gloucestershire, other changes to Freshers’ have been made – Bristol announced an effective ban on one-night-stands for freshers, with first years now prohibited from having people round to halls.

Gloucestershire’s SU president, Luc Brown, told the Gazette: “We know that for some people the term ‘freshers’ has particular, negative connotations.

“We wanted to move away from that and towards what the first few weeks of the year should be about – welcoming our new students to the University and to Gloucestershire, so that’s why we’ve gone for ‘Welcome 2020’.”

“The safety, health and wellbeing of our students and the wider community is of course the most important thing to us when we’re thinking about events for the start of next year.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• It’s official: Bristol Uni bans freshers from having one night stands in halls

• ‘Do unis have lots of sex parties?’: What this year’s freshers really want to know

• Meet the students of results day whose A-level grades got reduced

Featured image: MNB – Monday Night Bridge, Oxford