Calling all York freshers, here are the life hacks you NEED to know

From study hacks to bus travel, these top tips are needed

3 months ago

| Guides

Freshers’ Week goes by too quickly (or for some not quick enough), and before you know it you’re thrust into regular university life. Settling in and getting into a routine can feel like an enormous challenge; changing almost everything about your life and moving away is no small task. So, here are some tips to help any fresher settle into life at York as quickly and comfortably as possible.

Explore the city

When moving away from home to a new city, you’re leaving a place where you have routines, memories on nearly every street, and solid go-tos for whatever the day calls for. Now, you’ll be somewhere where you are essentially a tourist to begin with. But with moving to York, you’re moving to a vibrant city – you’ve chosen good. One of the quickest ways to settle into life in York and make it feel like a second home, then, is by going out and exploring. Creating new routines, finding your new favourite bars and coffee shops, and making new memories.

Don’t shy from being a tourist, visit the Minster and the Shambles – every first town trip should involve copious amounts of time spent queueing in the Shambles. Trust me, these wait times will be nothing by the time Halloween and Christmas roll around. If you’ve done it right, you’ll be avoiding walking anywhere near the Shambles by third year. Try out a variety of spots – I recommend Drift In, Gatehouse Coffee, and Dusk. The King’s Manor library, right next to the York Art Gallery, is always worth a visit for a study session in a gorgeous building.

The heartbreaking reason behind Tulisa’s transformation and why she looks so different now

Emma reveals where she and Caspar are now and lots has changed since the MAFS UK reunion

Lacey and Nathan embroiled in nasty feud following ‘bitter rows’ after MAFS UK split

As for travel into the city, check the timetables for the free shuttle buses between campuses. Then, First Bus operates a variety of student discounts and ticket bundles depending on how often you’ll be getting the bus, such as a pack of 10 trips for £14.

Make the most of exploring campus, too. As regular uni starts up, see which study spaces fit you better, which cafes you prefer going to between lectures, and which bars fit you best for a Friday post-lecture pint.

Make the most of halls

Almost every new fresher gets a doorstop bought for them, as if it will be the golden ticket to a good Freshers’ Week. Even if you don’t end up ever using it, you had the right idea – keeping your door open, in spirit. You don’t decide who you live with, most of it is luck of the draw, but you can decide what you make of it. Use Freshers’ Week as an opportunity to bond over what you are nervous about, and what you are excited about. Any stress or homesickness is that much easier to deal with when you aren’t alone.

On this, don’t delay the inevitable hours spent unpacking. Take familiar items from home with you and decorate as soon as possible. Once your room is organised just the way you like, you immediately feel much more at home – so don’t put this off. York’s Student Union hold various events throughout Freshers’ Week to help make your room feel like home, such as plant and poster sales, so keep an eye out!

Keeping busy (and downtime)

Freshers’ Week and the months following are filled with new opportunities, meaning it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Freshers’ fair (Saturday 21st September this year) is a great way to see what societies and clubs York has to offer. This is the best time of any to try a wide variety of society taster sessions, make friends with similar interests and discover new interests.

Of course, there are a huge variety of club nights on offer to thrust you into the uni experience. You’ll find out if you’re a Salvos or a Flares person (we are all Salt and Pepper people, the local takeaway). Don’t forget about the other activities, such as the quiz and comedy nights, and the daytime walks and tours.

As often as you will hear the advice to “say yes to everything”, I have to partially disagree. Yes, don’t shut yourself off to new experiences as keeping busy is the best way to get settled. However, don’t burn yourself out. It’s easy to force yourself to go to every single event and every single club night due to FOMO – but don’t feel guilty about having downtime. Going to uni is a huge transition, and beyond Freshers’ Week, you will need your energy! If you discover clubbing every other day isn’t your thing, or you are in need of a night in, give yourself this. Use chill days or nights in as an opportunity to bond with your flatmates, have movie nights, study, or simply be by yourself. Don’t be embarrassed by the odd early night – scheduling your time is everything at uni.

The actual uni work

Naturally, Freshers’ Week isn’t the be-all and end-all of uni. It’s surprisingly easy to forget that we are here to study. First year is the prime opportunity you will get to learn how you work as a student. It is true that for most courses your first year grades don’t count towards your final marks. However, this is not to say that you should slack as internships or employers may ask for these grades later.

But more than that, this is the year to figure out how you best work. Figure out a routine; see if you work better alone in the silent library sections or with a group over a coffee. There is a learning curve to uni, so a bad mark isn’t the end of the world – make use of office hours and learn how you can produce the best work so that your essays are ready for when they really count.

In summary, settling into uni means figuring out the balance of social and study. Have fun, but stay on top of your reading if your course requires it. Trust me, as an English Literature student there’s nothing worse than spending a two-hour seminar pretending that you’ve read the book…