Your entire first year at uni, as told by One Direction lyrics

‘You’re insecure’ is pretty self-explanatory


It’s been six years since One Direction broke up now and I’m not gonna lie, I will never be over it and I still haven’t left my One Direction phase, even at uni.

We all know One Direction are lyrical geniuses (I’m looking at you: “If you ever feel alone, don’t”) but I bet what you didn’t know is that the legendary band has lyrics to describe everything you will experience in your first year at university. From messy nights out to a cleaning rota, 1D has you covered. 

So here is your first year at uni as explained by One Direction lyrics.

‘Baby you got me sick’

Inevitably getting Freshers’ Flu after the first week and being bedridden for the next seven days. Either that or you have Covid. So let’s hope for the former x

‘Think that we got more time when we’re falling behind’

Falling seven weeks behind on lectures and having weeks of content to catch up on the night before an exam.

But first year doesn’t count right?!

‘Not even the gods above can separate the two of us’

You and the friend that you meet on day one of Freshers’ who you SWEAR you will be besties with for the next three years. But in reality, you make new mates and have to awkwardly make small talk when you bump into them in the library two years later.

‘And I’ll be gone, gone tonight’

Disappearing from your mates on a night out and returning at 7am with a Maccies, eight new friends, and a pair of bunny ears. And you’ll do it all again tomorrow night.

‘So pour me a drink’

After approximately one lecture. At 11am.

‘Having no regrets is all that she really wants’

Trying to have no regrets about committing flatcest in Freshers’ when you bump into them in the kitchen, deathly hungover just trying to make pesto pasta, proves rather difficult.

‘You’re insecure’

No elaboration needed.

‘No they don’t teach you this in school’

Wondering what the hell is going on in your seminar and blaming it on your bad education but in actual fact, it’s because you haven’t been to any lectures in the last two weeks.

‘Did they ever fight like us?’

The fourth passive aggressive message on the pin-board doesn’t work and someone inevitably kicks off about stolen milk for the fourth time that week. Either that or the cleaning rota has fallen to pieces because you forgot to take out the bins. Oopsies x

‘I’m walking round with just one shoe’

Losing a shoe as well as your dignity on a night out. Classic.

‘Living out of cases, packing up and taking off’

Going home to your dog and a roast dinner at any minor inconvenience and being too lazy to unpack when you get back.

‘Yeah I let you use me from the day that we first met but I’m not done yet falling for your fool’s gold’

Letting a private-school boy who definitely studies something like economics or PPE treat you like a mug time and time again.

‘I ain’t up for debating’

Refusing to participate in your seminar when *that* person has insisted on playing devil’s advocate for the seventh time in the last hour and insists that feminism makes him feel oppressed.

‘Cause we’re on fire, we are on fire, we’re on fire now’

Having to stand outside in the freezing cold at 4am in your Disney pjyamas you haven’t washed in about three weeks because someone set the fire alarm off for the fourth time that week.

‘Break these clocks, forget about time’

Losing any sense of a normal sleep schedule and losing the ability to behave like a functioning member of society. But if you sleep until 3pm at least you save money on food right?

‘Wanna pull an all-nighter and get into something we’ll never forget’

Leaving a summative until the night before and pulling an all-nighter surviving purely off Red Bull and adrenaline. It will probably end up being the best essay you turn in all year.

‘I don’t want to wash off the night before’

Attempting to not wash off last night’s club stamp in order to finesse the system and get in again today. Absolutely never works.

‘Girl I see it in your voice and how it trembles’

Having to do your first group project presentation in front of an entire lecture hall. Even worse when you haven’t even met half the people in your group because they couldn’t be arsed to do anything for the project.

‘I’m still wide awake’

Getting zero sleep because your neighbours are getting *very busy* next door, the guy above you thinks he’s the next Calvin Harris on his decks, and the fire alarm going off every other hour because of burnt toast.

‘Playin this guitar by the fire too loud’

Someone whips out a guitar at pres for the fourth time this week and you have to brace yourself for another cursive rendition of Wonderwall.  

‘We’ll stay up till morning, we’ll throw the after-party’

Offering your flat up for afters to a load of strangers at the club only to realise on the bus home that you just want your bed.

You sit shivering in your kitchen surrounded by strangers listening to shitty drum and bass until 8am. It’s character building, I promise.

‘Everything that you’ve ever dreamed of disappearing when you wake up’

Missing the 9am that you SWORE to yourself you were going to and watching your chances of getting a first slowly slip away.

‘I can’t believe you’re packing your bags, trying so hard not to cry’

Moving your stuff out of halls at the end of first year reminiscing on all the best mems. Good times man.

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