Freshers as a Commuter Student
Updated: 12 hours ago
My Freshers’ Week experience
I had my first ever Freshers’ Week at a slightly interesting time in my life. I had finished college in the spring, had about a week of rest from working full-time over the Fringe before going back to my normal part-time hours, and was volunteering weekly with different organisations. Oh, and I lived an hour away from town by bus. Within this context, I had my first ever Freshers’ Week.
The University tries its best to make Freshers’ Week as inclusive and accessible as possible. Having been involved in some of the preparations myself, I’ve seen how much thought goes into this. One group that has been receiving more support and recognition is commuter students. This can mean events at different times of the day, accessible facilities, and simply reminding both students and staff that some people might need to leave earlier than others.
When I sat down to write this piece, I struggled a little because I can only speak from my own experience. And, honestly, my experience was that I didn’t really care if I could go to everything. I didn’t care if I made loads of new friends that week. I didn’t care if I got to do everything I wanted. I was genuinely so exhausted that my main goal was to get to know the University and other students as much as I could, without it becoming inconvenient or overwhelming.
I mention this not only to give some context to my recommendations, but because I think it is important not to let FOMO take over your Freshers’ Week. First, you will have more than one Freshers’ Week - at least three or four - and missing one event will not completely destroy your social life. Neither will living outside student accommodation in your first year and choosing to commute. At the end of the day, what matters is what you make of your university years, not just this one week.
So, what I would recommend:
1. Do what you actually like
Take a moment to think about what you enjoy.
Do you like evening or night-time events? Are you more interested in artsy activities? Would you rather sit down somewhere, have some food and chat to people? Doing something you already know you enjoy can take away some of the mental pressure of not knowing what to expect. Even if you don't end up loving the people there, you can still enjoy the activity itself.
Freshers’ Week is often presented as the perfect time to completely get out of your comfort zone. But remember, you are already doing something outside your comfort zone. You are starting university, navigating a new environment and meeting lots of new people. You don’t need to do everything. When deciding what to book, think about what you like, how you like spending your time, and whether it is something you will be able to look back on fondly. Sometimes the enjoyment can simply come from doing something that makes you feel comfortable.
2. Book things in advance
Some activities, particularly sports, can fill up quickly.
Once you have decided what you want to do, prioritise booking the events, activities, or time slots you are interested in. Some societies may be more flexible about letting people join when events are fully booked, but restrictions are often there for good reasons, such as safeguarding and available space. So, book what you really want to do in advance and negotiate with yourself afterwards!
It is also worth asking yourself: are you planning to attend events every day, or are there just a few things you really want to do while seeing what else is available on the day?
As a commuter student, things like travel, costs, accommodation and time can all influence your decisions. Be mindful of this when booking something and think about what you actually want to get out of the week. If you genuinely just want to stock up on free pens, make sure you get to the fairs early. If you want to attend free or open events, arrive on time to make sure you can get in. And if you don’t like doing things on your own, reach out to people beforehand and see if someone wants to go with you.
3. Look for alternatives
costs, or a whole range of other, slightly less exciting things. You don’t always have the luxury of arriving super early or staying until late on campus. This is where planning alternatives becomes important.
Could you stay with friends in the city overnight? Have you saved some money for an emergency Uber? Could you bring a packed lunch rather than buying food? Or have you researched somewhere affordable to eat with your old or new friends? None of these are particularly glamorous Freshers’ decisions, but they can make the week much easier. And, honestly, sometimes knowing that you have a plan B makes it much easier to enjoy plan A.costs, or a whole range of other, slightly less exciting things. You don’t always have the luxury of arriving super early or staying until late on campus. This is where planning alternatives becomes important.
4. Don’t waste time on flings
You have your whole university experience to build relationships with people.
Missing one event with someone because going would mean missing your train or bus should not, and hopefully will not, burn a bridge for a potential friendship. And if it does, maybe that person wasn’t worth it in the first place. I love meeting people and getting to know others, and I am still very good friends with people I met during my first Freshers’ Week. But there was something they all had in common: when I mentioned that I actually needed to leave because I was about to miss my bus, they didn’t get offended; they messaged me afterwards to ask whether I had made it on time.
Friendships aren't built in one week. They are built through a collection of moments you spend with someone throughout your year, or years, at university. In the same way that your university experience will be shaped by the totality of your university years, so will your relationships.
Take it easy
There isn't a crazy conclusion to this blog. My main advice is simply to take Freshers’ Week as relaxed as possible and enjoy it.
Opportunities to get involved, build relationships, join societies and try new things will not stop after Freshers’ Week. You have years to do these things. So, take care of your mental and physical health, do things you genuinely enjoy, and don't feel like you have to say yes to everything. And most importantly, try to do things that you won't be disappointed about when you look back.
If you have any questions about commuting, including support, accommodation, resources or anything else, you can actually email me, as I am the current Commuter Student Rep. I would be happy to signpost the different opportunities provided by the university.
Enjoy your Freshers’ Week, enjoy your year, and I’ll see you in the next blog!
Written by Annabella Alovatti.
Edited by Abby Johnston-Jones.
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