Everything you need to know to survive as a Lincoln fresher

If you’re coming to Lincoln then congratulations, you’re in for an amazing year! The less we mention some of those killer hangovers that await you, the better, but here are a few things to keep in mind before freshers' week begins…

Dig out your comfy shoes and get in the gym if you want to make it up Steep Hill alive

You're bound to take a trip up Steep Hill, popular talking point and tourist street in Lincoln, to have a look during your first year, even if only just the one trip. It notoriously lives up to its name, but it’s quite a short walk and the pretty picturesque sights and shops along the journey make up for it. It’s definitely worth walking up Steep Hill just to get to the castle and Lincoln’s beautiful cathedral, if you can brave it!

Lincoln's cathedral all lit up at night

Brush up on your ‘90s and ‘00s hits for Quack on Wednesdays

Quack is on every Wednesday at the SU and is definitely worth a visit, especially in Freshers Week. You can't miss the giant duck, and you’ll have a great night dancing to the classic songs that everyone grew up with, as well as tunes from musicals that we all love thrown in too! Get creating that throwback playlist now to get in the spirit, hello Spotify!

Everyone loves a good night out!

Accept that you’ll learn to love your generally lower standards of living

If you're moving away from home to stay in some of Lincoln's student accommodation, chances are you're bound to get a build-up of clutter and a sink overflowing from the washing up that everyone’s avoiding from time to time. A bit of mess will probably be a given, but wherever you end up it will become part of your new home.

Oops, turns out tidying up can't be avoided forever!

Start planning a fancy-dress outfit – Superfresh awaits!

There’s no chance that you’ll even make it through freshers' week, let alone the whole of first year, without having to pull something together for at least one fancy dress themed night out. Whether it be a Superfresh event or a special Quack, you’re going to be digging out those cat ears and batman capes for sure! Find a good outfit, because drinking and looking silly go hand in hand.

Get ready for 40 per cent to become the new 80 per cent

What’s the best thing about being a fresher, you ask? Unlike A-levels, first year doesn’t count towards your overall degree and you only need 40 per cent to pass. So when worst comes to worst and you’ve left an essay deadline to the last minute, or when you realise that a spontaneous night out at Union or Entourage the night before that big test probably wasn’t the best idea, I guarantee at some point you’ll be worshipping that number as if it's a First. “Ah well, I only need 40”.

Learn to automatically add an extra 10 minutes on top of every journey you make because you’ll almost certainly, definitely, 110 per cent get stuck waiting at the train barrier

The level crossing just past the SU and David Chiddick building is infamous; placed almost strategically in between the city centre and the Uni campus it almost always manages to time its moments perfectly to catch maximum people out. Once you’ve been late for one too many lectures and missed a few trains due to this delay, you’ll learn to just accept your fate and, grudgingly, leave a couple of minutes early.

Appreciate swans in all their glory, they’re about to become your new favourite animal

It’s no coincidence that the University of Lincoln logo features two swans on it, and that the local student pub on campus is carefully named ‘The Swan’. Swans are like the mascot of Lincoln, and in between running away from a rogue one when it finds its way onto the Uni campus by mistake and trying to feed them some McDonalds on a drunken walk home from a night out, you’ll learn to love them in a weird sort of way.

Invite your friends and family to Lincoln in December ASAP – the Christmas market is a must

Held over four days in early December, Lincoln’s vibrant Christmas Market is one of the biggest in Europe. Stationed around the cathedral, there are rides and attractions as well as lots of cute little stalls all around too. Fairy lights galore, it’s impossible not to be in the festive Christmas spirit from a walk around the market with your friends and family! It’s one you definitely don’t want to miss.

Make the most of it while you can because you’ll (hopefully!) only be a first year once, so enjoy the roller-coaster. Down it fresher!