These are Uni of Birmingham students’ top five biggest regrets during first term

First term is the only period of time where it is socially acceptable to drink your liver away. For many, these few weeks are a drunken blur and this excessive drinking paired with a bunch of 18 year olds gaining complete freedom for the first time leads to a great deal of regrets. These are the five main regrets, sourced from sports night interviews, of students who have experienced first term and lived to tell the tale at the University of Birmingham.

1. Flatcest  

Committing flatcest is a tale as old as time. It is a terrible idea. The awkwardness, the thought of having to see them every single day for the rest of the year, the lying to yourself saying you haven’t caught feelings when really you have – I don’t need to tell you that flatcest is not worth it. The only thing worse than this is cheating on your partner with one of your flatmates which seems to be a popular trend with University of Birmingham students. Many regrettably admit to committing this act with the excuse “it was Freshers’ I was wasted”. Cheating on your partner is bad enough but doing it with someone your living with is top tier idiocy. 

2. Constantly hosting pres and afters  

Remember that flat during the first weeks of term who were always hosting pres? Yeah, they hugely regret that. Why is it boys who usually study sports science think it’s hilarious to absolutely destroy a kitchen after one can of Stella? Don’t even get me started on those guys who come back for an afters, they are menaces after one beer – imagine their behaviour after a wild sports night.

Hosting pres and afters can be practical and a lot of fun, however regularly doing it will have a detrimental effect on your flat’s kitchen. Remember, when your flatmate brings his decks out at an afters, it’s probably 6am and the worst mix you have ever heard. Bedtime. 

3. Signing onto a house with flatmates you have only known for a week  

Calling someone you barely know your best mate after a couple of drinks just because you both have a dog and enjoy house music is a universal experience. Many freshers decide on their next year living situation with people they have known for not even a month. This is a big regret amongst uni students as many end up in miserable living situation with people they don’t even like. Freshers need to realise that living with someone is completely different to having a night out with them. 

4. Scary third years  

A regret that was popular amongst the girls at UoB was getting with a third year during Freshers’, or even during the subsequent weeks after that. Yes, their rizz in the club might have been top tier, but doing the walking of shame from Selly Oak back to The Vale is something that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.

5. Going broke to make friends  

Additionally a popular first term regret was wasting your money buying people drinks on nights out. Unfortunately, not worth it. Most of your newfound pals probably forget about it in the morning, or worse continue to take advantage. This is not the way to make genuine friends and you don’t want to be broke before you’ve even had your first lecture.  

Related articles recommended by this author:

• Just 10 fun and booze-free activities that students can do in Birmingham

• 10 things you’ll only relate to if you lived in Mason Halls 

• A hearty list of 20 things Birmingham students think are equivalent to the Roman Empire