First week.

OK, your going to be there sometime towards the end of September or start of October for Freshers week.

What to expect and what to do, (perhaps not to do as well).

1. Freshers week is generally well set up to introduce you to a new place. Remember they do this EVERY year so have a working system in place.

2. Your lecturers will be keen to see you and gain first impressions and get you on the right track. Various clubs and societies will be keen to recruit and other freshers are looking to make friends.

Clubs

You will have more attractions and organised opportunities than ever before to do things you never even dreamed you might do.

DO - Sign up for INFORMATION in ANYTHING that looks like it may attract you. A good thing about clubs is there will be a lot of other new people and old hands there to make friends on the basis of a common interest. Bearing in mind if you lock yourself away making friends will take so much longer.

DON'T - Part with any cash at this stage until your certain "visiting a new Polish restaurant every week" is really going to be your thing. Information is good, paying up too soon may cause long term regret.

DO be friendly - This will mean talking endlessly about your A level results, Your school, where you come from, what courses your doing. BUT this is really a first week ritual whilst people get to know those new faces around them and it is all common ground for you all.

If you hit enough people in a week or so you may well have found someone you can have a "real" conversation with.

BUT don't worry if you haven't found your life long friend by the end of the first week, Not many people do. Generalised friendship is the best thing perhaps, importantly, if you turn someone's approaches away, they just could be that life long friend, you just don't realise it yet.

Advice I often give. When your in your room for the first few days leave the door open, people will look in and say Hi, but are unlikely to knock on a closed door. Use the common areas. Offer Tea or Coffee & Biscuits it isn't going to cost you much and world problems have been settled over a good cup of tea.