It can be both daunting and exciting thinking about starting University after the summer. I’m here to ease your mind with 5 tips for what you can do to make the September start easier!
1. Join a group chat
Whatsapp group chats are the fastest way to meet new people and test out the social pool before you start. You can find links to groups on the Facebook fresher’s page for your year. I would recommend joining any freshers’, accommodation, or course group chats. It makes it a little less scary coming to uni when you have a few familiar names to fall back on.
2. Join a Society
If you have a hobby or want to explore something new, looking at societies on the Kent Union website would be a good idea. This will get you excited to start and could get you involved in university culture and life straight away. It’s also another great way to make friends!
3. Get in contact with your housemates
Making a group chat with housemates is a good idea to coordinate your arrivals and plan who will buy things needed for communal areas. It gives you a chance to meet and test the vibes of the people you will be living with for the next year too.
4. Practice cooking
Try to have a few recipes that you know before you come to uni, especially if you are in self-catered accommodation. Even if it’s something simple like pasta, it’s better to be familiar with some of the basics of cooking. While takeaways are fun, home cooking is the key to a student bank account.
5. Don’t feel pressured
Freshers can be a very busy time: with induction days, new environments and new social pressures and demands. It’s important to stay true to your boundaries no matter what. To ease any Fresher’s week anxiety, it’s good to remind yourself that you’re allowed to take time to yourself to adjust.