‘I’m not going to turn into Aiden from Secret Life of Students’: Meet the freshers and their parents

We headed over to Oadby to ask freshers and their families what they think of Leicester and how they’ll spend their first year.

Name: William

Parents’ names: Chris and Tim

Studies: Geology

Halls: John Foster, Catered

Hometown: Manchester

William: I’m excited for freshers, the only night I know I won’t be going to is Thursday as I have a Geology trip the next day. I might as well start off fairly responsible.

Secret Life Of Students didn’t change my perception of Leicester and I’m not going to turn into Aiden, the one who got Chlamydia.

Chris and Tim: We all watched Secret Life Of Students and we nearly locked him in his room until he was 35.

I also worry that he’ll be ill and won’t eat properly. We told him he had an introductory meeting tomorrow at 7 to which he said “what, in the morning?” so that’s worrying.

Neither of us went to university so we’re very proud of Will and just hope it stays that way.

Name: Jessamy

Studies: Law And Criminology

Halls: John Foster, Self-Catered

Hometown: London

Jessamy: There aren’t any fresher events I’m particularly looking forward to. I’m 22 and had so much fun travelling, nothing in the freshers booklet I was given really hit me.

I’m looking forward to freshers fair though and hoping to join lots of societies, especially rugby. I’ve heard they haven’t lost varsity so far.

I lifeguard water polo but the coach always jokes I can’t throw with one hand so he told me not to join that society.

Parents: Jessamy travelled to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji during her gap year but even though she’s already been on the other side of the world, we’ll definitely miss her.

Especially as our housekeeper-she does all the shopping, ferries her brother around and cooks. She’s more responsible than us.

Name: Lydia

Studies: Biological Sciences

Halls: Lasdun, Catered

Hometown: Norfolk

Lydia: I’m hoping to work really hard this year and make a lot of new friends. I think uni will be something completely different to what I’m used to but I’m hoping I can adapt and that the socializing will be really good.

So far I love it, the campus is so nice and green.

Mum: I don’t really have any worries about her going to uni, I think she’ll be quite sensible.

She’ll spent most of her time working I would think, reading and socializing. Maybe not all the nightclubbing. My advice would be to make sure she wakes up for her alarm clock.

Name: Tom

Studies: Economics

Halls: John Foster, Self-Catered

Hometown: Southend, Essex

Tom: I’d like to do well in economics. The social side of uni I’m not as bothered about really, but I definitely might join some teams.

I think most of my time will probably be spent not studying, maybe doing sports instead. I really like Leicester and the campus so far.

Mum: My main worry is that he’s not going to eat properly. He does have a good mix of an academic and social life though.

My advice would be do your room and change your underwear.

Name: Lucy

Parents’ Names: Diane and Graham

Studies: Chemistry

Halls: Beaumont

Hometown: Nottingham

Lucy: I’m really looking forward to new experiences and meeting new people in Leicester, as well as furthering my studies. I’m probably more academic than social but i’ll still have fun.

Diane and Graham:
Diane: I’m not very happy about her cycling on the roads, that’s my main worry.

Graham: She doesn’t drink much actually.

Diane: Well not at the moment.

Name: Rebecca

Parents’ Names: Ann and Andy

Studies: English and American Studies

Halls: Noseley, John Foster

Hometown: Nottingham

Rebecca: I hope it’s fairly easy to meet new people and make new friends. I definitely want to join the gym and societies that I do back home such as horseriding and baking.

I’m hoping the food’s nice in catered, my room is boiling! Huge, but very hot.

Ann and Andy: Leicester seems a nice place but you can’t help but be apprehensive. It’s a bit scary but we think she’ll be fine. We’ll miss her loads.

We kept trying to put off saying goodbye and avoid thinking about it by doing anything else-putting Rebecca’s clothes away, helping put her photos up.

Neither of us went to university so it’s an opportunity that we’ve never had, hope she enjoys it.

Name: Dan

Parents’ Names: Juliet and John (they were camera shy)

Studies: Geology

Halls: Beaumont

Hometown: Aylesbury.

Juliet and John: We went to UCL and Imperial. It was a long time ago since we went to university, considering the price of university nowadays we’re expecting some value for money really and high quality teaching.

I expect him to complain if it’s not as well. We haven’t got any worries about him, he’ll survive. I think ‘work hard play hard’ is the bottom line.

Dan: I’m just hoping to survive, I think it’ll be a good laugh.