We asked a Warwick BNOC how to nail first year

Because if there’s anyone to listen to, it’s this guy


The new freshers have been busy settling in this week and undoubtedly, they are excited yet nervous to have ditched the home comforts and start a new chapter in their lives.

Luckily for them, we have asked last year’s BNOC to give a few tips on how to make the most of first year. We caught up with Muhammad, a second year student studying MORSE at Warwick.

If you could give on piece of advice to freshers, what would it be?

Don’t be afraid of approaching anyone in the first couple of weeks, everyone’s really open and people like to talk about themselves, so don’t worry about asking loads of questions and getting to know people!

If you could change first year, would you have done anything differently?

Maybe I wouldn’t worry so much about my 9am lectures, and I’d make sure the assignments were more my own work, but with MORSE being MORSE, that is asking a lot.
  

What’s the easiest way to meet other people?

There’s no one way to start something but like I mentioned above, just speaking to people and getting to know them is a good way to start. I’d say the main way I met people during Freshers’ was the Terrace Bar and getting lucky with who I met in the first few days. Going to pres with people I’d met through others and meeting their friends is a big reason.
Also through my course and sports and societies. Getting yourself out there I guess, and not giving people a reason to say anything bad about you by being a good person. I can’t say I went into uni wanting to be BNOC, but I tried being open and friendly and that’s what happened .

Would you say you kept in touch with your old mates at home? Is that important?

Yeah definitely, it’s good to keep in touch with the people you’ve gone through your teens with. That being said, there’s a lot going on at uni, especially in term one so it’s not easy as everyone’s busy doing their thing. Try to organise when you’re back at home over Christmas, Easter and summer. 

Do you think coming to uni with a boyfriend or girlfriend is a good idea?

In my opinion, coming into university in a relationship is a bad idea unless they’re somewhere nearby, but everybody’s different I guess and we all want different things so it’s hard to say!

What is the most essential thing to bring to uni?

The most essential thing is probably a pillow you’re comfy sleeping on, the university ones aren’t great. 

What is the most useless thing to bring to uni?

Cooking pots, because let’s be honest, you will just borrow someone else’s.