From flatmates to Freshers’ flu: Here’s what to expect as a Lincoln Fresher

Five things you should definitely know before your first week

9 months ago

Moving to university is a huge step, but knowing what you’re getting yourself into certainly helps it seem less daunting. With Results Day upon us and offers to be accepted, we wanted to shed some light on what you should expect during your first year.

Flatmates

Have you ever heard the phrase, “life is like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get”? The same thing can be said for first-year flatmates.

You may meet lifelong friends who will one day make speeches at your wedding… but you’re more likely to meet people who will steal your food and refuse to take out the bins.

Do your best to get on with your flatmates, introduce yourself to everyone and suggest some fun activities to break the ice. But don’t beat yourself up if you don’t all end up being besties. The important thing to remember is that you’re all in the same boat.

And don’t fall victim to flatcest. No matter how tempting it may be, remember you’ll be seeing that person every day for the whole year… awkward…

Freshers’ events

There’s a whole range of events put on by the Lincoln Students’ Union for incoming students to let their hair down. My advice? Do as much as you can! Not only are Freshers’ events a great way to meet people, they can also be some of your best uni memories.

Even if it doesn’t seem like something you’d be interested in, drag your flatmates along and have some fun. There’s something for everyone, from quizzes and outdoor cinema to your very first Quack club night. And don’t forget to nab yourself some freebies from the various fayres that’ll be happening in the Engine Shed.

Societies

There is a society for pretty much anything you can think of at Lincoln, no matter how niche the interest. From kayaking to book club to debate, you’ll find all kinds of like-minded people waiting to meet you.

Head down to the societies fayre to chat with current members and their committee. This is a great way to suss out how their sessions run and what kind of socials they provide. And if you’re still unsure most societies will hold taster sessions for potential new members during the first couple weeks of class. Take the opportunity to give anything of interest to you a go (for free) before fully committing.

Freshers’ flu

You’ve heard the horror stories, but it can’t be that bad, right? Wrong. Get ready to spend your first week in class trying to suppress another coughing fit while your fellow students sniffle and snort through their note-taking. If you think you’ll be the exception, you won’t.

The solution? Preparation.

Make sure you have all the essentials on hand for when freshers flu eventually catches up to you. That’s tissues, painkillers and a copious amount of cough sweets. You’d be surprised at how expensive these things can be, especially when your local supermarket is cleared out of Lemsip and chicken soup.

And if you haven’t already, consider getting a flu jab.

Classes when you’re hungover

Anyone who’s ever been a student will tell you about the time they rocked up to a 9am lecture smelling of stale vodka. It’s a right of passage, especially as freshers week comes to a close. Just try not to make a habit of it.

Remember that as great as the memories are, you’re still paying for those classes.

So if you haven’t quite mastered a hangover cure yet, consider only going out on nights when you don’t have anything early the next morning.