It’s that time of the year when students are almost ready to move into uni… which means it’s nearly time for Freshers! Freshers is the name for the period of time when students have moved into halls but have not yet started uni. For most people it is all about clubbing and socialising, however there is so much more to it!
When I started uni I had no idea what to expect. I thought I’d move in, make friends with my flat mates and we’d go out clubbing a few times, while we wait for lectures to begin in October. I had no idea how much there would be to do!
I arrived at halls and was greeted by the student union who told me all about the events they hold. They have it all from parties to pizza and film nights! The student events are good fun and are a great way to get to know students who you wouldn’t necessarily meet elsewhere. I would really suggest going to these if you’re worried about making friends because everyone there is in the same boat! Try and be confident and put yourself out there.
The uni offer a massive variety of clubs and teams you can join. There will be a fair announced in September, where you can go into uni and check out these clubs and speak to some representatives. I highly recommend going to this and joining a club, even if you don’t stick it out for long! It’s a great place to meet like-minded people.
Of course a massive part of Freshers is clubbing, not for everyone but lots of people do go. Different events companies offer wristbands you can buy, where you’ll get free entry into a different event each night for a fixed price. It’s very likely you’ll have people coming up to you trying to sell them – say NO! These wristbands are only really worth your money if you go to a decent number of the events and chances are you won’t go to many. I bought a wristband and my friends were never wanting to go where the wristband got me free entry, so it was a massive waste of money!
In my opinion, the best clubs down Broad Street (right next to The Matings) are Rosies and PRYZM. Walkabout is great on a Wednesday! The Gay Village is great for a night out but is slightly further away, as is Snobs, which is near the Bullring. Digbeth (The Custard Factory) is really cool for bars and has really fun Ghetto Golf!
The Uni will hold lots of events during Freshers, so I suggest you go to them all just so you give yourself the best chance to meet new people and have fun!