Things I wish I knew as a Bournemouth fresher

Starting uni is a wild experience start to finish, and first year can hit you like a wet fish to the face.

There's many umms are oops occasions I look back on, and to say I could learn from these mistakes is an understatement.

Here's a list of everything I wish I knew, so hopefully you won't make the same errors I did.

Don’t add club promoters on Facebook

A classic error. Seeing that friend request pop up in your first week from some catfish-looking Cameo staff member may seem like a good idea at the time, until they invite you to every single event under the sun, and aggressively message you about buying their club wrist band. Save yourself the trauma and click ignore, it's for the greater good.

Don’t walk in late to lectures

Learnt this one the hard way. Each lecturer is different, but when strict ole Andy decides to lock the door, or even worse heckle you as you scurry for a seat, coming on time seems a lot less painful. Bite the bullet and set an alarm to avoid the gleaming stares off your peers as you struggle to set up those arm desk thingys which will inevitably flip back soon enough.

The uni has some pretty useful services

Student support and the likes are actually decent at uni and they do know what they're doing. Asking for help isn't an embarrassing thing to do in the slightest, so stroll on down to wellbeing, ALS or whichever service you need when you feel like having a chat with them, they don't bite. They might even make you tea as well, winner winner.

Including SUBU

They have their own tower, and are literally there to make our lives easier. Support, societies and everything in between is SUBU's speciality, so make the most of them as ours is one of the best. 

Make friends with course mates and flatmates

Being with the same people 24/7 can be a bit tiring after a while, no matter how much you love them. It's always nice to spice up your life with a few fresh faces, a bit of a mix up never hurt anybody. Being with the same gang all the time might bring about more arguments, so expand a little.

Freshers flu is real

It's not a rumour to put you off university, it is very much alive and breathing. At first you might think it's a cough or a slight tickle, but in a week you'll be feeling like a human error 404. It never seems to end either, two months later you won't feel any better.

Don’t hold back

First year only comes about once, so make the most of it. No one can stop you when you're in your element, so say what you want to say, jump on all the Vinyl sofas, and get pissed on Aruba's two for one cocktails to your hearts content.

Casual

Take time signing a house

One of the most stressful things in first year is finding a house, so make sure you don't rush. Students often get completely mugged off by estate agents and move into an absolute trap flat, so search around a bit, ask your parents what they think, then invest.

Don’t get with your flatmates

Need I explain.

Take advantage of unlimited heating

Hot water and a warm radiator may not seem like much at the time, but once you move out, you'll miss it like mad. Paying your own bills is no fun when someone keeps turning the heating down, and layering up with a hot drink becomes your winter. Milk those resources whilst you can, they don't last.

First year, you were a ball.

But my god I wasn't ready for you.