Credit: Isla Isabella Douglas
As freshers flu sinks in and lectures and seminars have kicked into high gear, hindsight can put the unique experiences of freshers’ week into perspective.
Fortunately, through the clearing system, I managed to achieve a place at a top-ten university (Complete University Guide). My choice was mainly based on the academic prowess of this northwestern university. Therefore, Lancaster was a complete unknown to me before moving in, making my freshers’ week an adventure well beyond my comfort zone.
The drinking, clubbing, and innumerable new greetings were all expected parts of this transitory week in my life. Yet are these experiences, challenging to some, essential to have an enriching freshers’ week? I’d argue not.
In this new chapter of your life, it can seem exciting to indulge in such new activities. However, many new arrivals probably overlook the magnitude of this step.
University, for many, is one of the first experiences of complete independence from home, which can come with varied difficulties. Whether pragmatic, such as cooking for yourself, or emotional, such as the distance from family and loved ones.
I decided to let loose completely during my freshers’ week, going out almost every night. But now, faced with the prospect of living in Lancaster for three years, I found only emptiness. I realised that this lifestyle of escapism was not sustainable for me and that I would have to learn to adapt to this new environment over 200 miles from my home if I wanted to find happiness.
On top of this, the pressure on yourself can compound from the noise of the media. We are increasingly warned by journalists that university is becoming less and less of a worthwhile commitment. On the other hand, many parents view university as only a financial investment into their offspring’s future careers.
My initial experience of Lancaster has shown me that university is far more than just numbers.
By far the best part of this adventure is the people. Filtering through the faces of random encounters at Wetherspoons and college bars, I have become close with many peers who share similar interests and ambitions.
These are the people who I believe will make your university experience great and much more than a financial investment. Even the lecturers who I met at orientation seem like individuals I can genuinely bond with in the forthcoming years.
But you don’t have to be best friends with the first person you bump into hauling a suitcase up the stairs to your new room. Lancaster University is vast and diverse and offers a place to discover yourself. Freshers’ week, after all, is only the first significant step into this new and enriching chapter in our lives.
