10 things I wish someone had told me before Freshers’ Week at UEA

1. First things first, do not buy the wristbands. They are so overpriced, but they're just preying on you. Once you have made friends, you won’t go to all of the events because you will want to stick together, or you will too hungover (even the most hardcore freshers will probably give up by Wednesday). Just get individual tickets for your favourite events.

2. Talk to every person you possibly can especially at pre-drinks or nights out. The Dutch courage from the many shots you’ve done makes it the perfect opportunity to meet someone, or even meet THE one.

3. Remember loads of drinking games because you’ll be the most valuable member at the pre-drinks; no one wants to stand awkwardly in the corner and drink. A deck of cards is one of the essentials that you need to remember to pack.

4. Bring a load of fancy dress items for your socials and nights out. Otherwise, you will be spending a lot of your loan buying new items. I can guarantee that you will need an ugly shirt at least once in freshers. If you don’t try, you’re only going to look like a bore. You'll definitely be the envy of all your new mates if you pull some fab fancy dress out the bag, I promise.

5. Whatever you do, do not blow your entire loan in freshers’ week… otherwise it will be a very long, torturous semester with no food and a huge overdraft.

6. Downstairs of the LCR is so much better than upstairs and don’t let anyone tell you different. By the end of freshers, you will know every single song of the playlist upstairs.

7. Stock up on paracetamol for the hangovers. It may not save you from escaping freshers’ flu because that is just inevitable, but it will make it somewhat bearable.

8. Don’t be the housemate that needs looking after or taking home early, no one likes that housemate. You’ll become flat enemy number one.

9. The fire alarm will go off at ridiculous times in the morning, so have a dressing gown to hand to cover up the fact you’re probably still in your clothes and makeup from the night before.

10. Make sure you bulk buy cheap chicken nuggets or snacks for the post-club munches or hangover hunger. Who wants to eat salad when they come in from a night out? It's way cheaper and much less effort than stumbling into a kebab shop at 3am, too.