We asked second and third years what advice they’d give to freshers

So, you’ve made it. The long summers and gap yahs are over and now it’s time to start your life as a fresher in York. With any hope you’ll be buzzing for what is to come, and why wouldn’t you be? But it’s also completely normal to be nervous, so to help calm those fresher nerves we’ve compiled some top tips from some older students to make starting uni that little bit easier for you.

Ben Traas, Second Year, Sociology and Social Psychology

Know which takeaways to go to so you don’t waste your time getting rubbish food and service! Don’t take the easy option and just go for Salt n’ Pepper.. one time the guy was putting sauce on my kebab, missed the top and it ended up hitting me in the face. Go to Chico’s on the bridge, they’re without a doubt the best after-night food!

Lily Mindham- Walker, Second Year, Human Geography and Environment

Definitely go to Fresher’s Fair to get a taste of all the different societies and sports clubs. They are great for meeting new people with like-minded interests and for having another group of friends outside your halls and course. I joined rowing which I’d never done before and really enjoyed it, it’s a great way to keep fit and all the sports clubs have fun weekly socials too!

Annie Russell, Third Year, Medicine

Don’t trust first impressions because everyone is a bit nervous! Try to find a balance between work and partying, failing the year isn’t fun trust me… Stick to one drink on a night out unless you want to regurgitate a rainbow of drinks at the end of the night.

Gabriel Hargreaves, Second Year, History

Get a 66 bus card if you’re on campus, you’ll end up spending much more if you don’t! Be sure to make good use of the library, not enough freshers do. And definitely explore all the nightlife York has to offer: there’s events throughout the term like Drop, On & On and Tremor that are run by students and are brilliant nights out.

Alice Fisher, Third Year, Sociology

If you’re in one of the catered blocks try really hard to meet the other people who are catered. Don’t just stick to your comfort zone as those eating breakfast and dinner together every day will get a head start on socialising. It’s good to branch out at the beginning as chances are you’ll want more friends than just those on your floor… Don’t worry about coming across as overly keen, people feel flattered to be asked to meet up and you’ll probably make a good friend!

Kieran Fitchett, Third Year, Politics and International Relations

I would probably say if you’re planning on going out even slightly regularly, buy a platinum card. Its only £90 and gets you queue jump entry to all YUSU club nights all year (it’s usually £5 each time). Not only is it fun to laugh at the plebs queuing as you waltz past them and into the club, it also saves you a ton of money over the year.

Molly Beazley, Second Year, Politics

If you don’t like your course, change it, it was the best choice I made. Don’t worry about the extra £9000 because you won’t pay it off anyway haha.. And just be yourself from Day 1, on my first night I found myself changing a tampon in front of a girl who is now one of my closest friends and housemates!

Jakob de Menezes-Wood, Third Year, Music

My advice would be to always try and act like you belong in the situation you’ve landed in, whatever it is. One night in Freshers me and my friend got lost on one of the Derwent nights and ended up in Parish in a sea of Alcuin t-shirts, what a rare and beautiful sight! Instead of running back to the people we were with we decided to stay and show Alcuin a good time. They weren’t being as loud or rowdy as the Derwent crowd, so we decided to very loudly sing some Alcuin chants. I guess it’s worth remembering to just go with whatever happens in Freshers because I still hold that as one of the great memories of freshers week!

Maya Gunavardhana, Third Year, History

Avoid getting with someone in your block! Yes it could potentially work out, but let’s face it, it would probably just end up being plain awkward for the rest of the year. And when you ignore this advice and do it anyway, just please try for everyone else’s sake not to make it painfully awkward all year…