education

'I'm going to make the most of it': can freshers' week be fun despite Covid?

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First-year drama student Lola Cook, 19, is going to Manchester University and can’t wait to get started. “I don’t mind what freshers’ will look like, I’m just excited to move out of home,” she says. “The situation has meant everyone has been stuck with their families for the past few months and people are just ready to go. I’m going to make the most of whatever experience I’m given.”

Others are less optimistic. “The vibes on the uni Facebook freshers’ page are dead and I’m not really sure what to expect. A lot of events will be held online, which is definitely the best thing to do, but in terms of being able to meet people in the first few weeks it feels like we will be very limited,” says business student Emma Bridge, 18.

Freshers’ week is going to look very different this year and experiences will vary across institutions. Some universities are already in a local lockdown and many, including Stirling, Cardiff and Bath Spa, are asking students to sign up to a new Covid community pledge or code of responsibility. Others, such as University College London, have banned students from having parties or inviting people to stay overnight. In Nottingham, universities are working with local security forces, including the police.

“Obviously you can’t run all the freshers’ week events and go on pub crawls,” says Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute. “The last thing unis want is their town to have a lockdown situation because of students, and they don’t want to fall out with the local communities.”

However, those on the ground say there’s no need to panic. In Scotland, where many freshers events have already taken place despite large events and loud music being restricted, new starters say they are still having fun. “You book to go to events and you have to have a definitive group but people are finding it works with flatmates or others from their course,” says Sophie Gunneberg, a first year international relations student at Glasgow University. “Everyone seems to be finding their place.”

Promoters say they’re offering the closest you can get to a club experience. ”We’re doing partnerships with well-known food places so you can go in and order on an app and get drinks and food to your table. If you’re coming in a group of six, we want to make that your party. You can speak to other tables through the app and have a bit of banter,” says Nick Checketts, a promoter in Edinburgh.

In Glasgow, there are similar plans in place. “We’ve got one of the largest outdoor spaces in the city and we have a 10-metre LED screen with sporting events on from Thursday to Sunday, and a BBQ and craft beer,” says local promoter Brian Traynor. “We’ve had a really good start and there’s a good atmosphere.”

Although pubs, bars and restaurants in England will have to shut by 10pm from Thursday, Checketts thinks house parties in residential bubbles will happen anyway. “There will be more student flat parties and people will save money that way, too.”

Students’ unions are also working hard to make sure everyone gets the best from their university experience. Kayleigh Malone, vice-president of community at the University of Hertfordshire, says they will have a blended programme spanning a month. They’ve introduced free memberships for societies to encourage students to try new things, and they are having virtual meetings and coffee mornings. “Various areas are still open, including the sports village, so people will be able to still go to the gym and look after themselves,” she says.

At King’s College London, they’re taking a digital-first approach. Salma Hussain, the students’ union president, thinks this will enable new starters to meet a larger range of people from different backgrounds. “Students are often put off events by long journeys or fears about being excluded, so if you’re feeling like you don’t want to go, it’s much easier to engage from home,” she says. “Student bars and cafes will be open so you can come on campus to grab a coffee and have a pizza, but you will need to book.”

Elsewhere, students are being advised to spend as much time as possible outside. At Queen Margaret University, the students’ union bar and cafe has outside seating, and they have created an outdoor venue called The Tent. At the University of Derby, they’ve constructed an open-air village to deliver a series of socially distanced events and activities, including comedy performances, mini golf and a full freshers fair. The University of Chester have introduced customised sports games that can be played while maintaining social distancing, and Bath University says all sports clubs will be running and operating within government guidelines.

While this may not be what many had hoped for, some say a low-key freshers experience has been on the cards for a while. “There have been quite a lot of changes over the past few years and there’s less emphasis from on events that involve alcohol,” says Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. He says it is not only to do with behaviour. “Universities are becoming more diverse, and events based around drinking can be alienating and off-putting.”

Cook thinks it could be a blessing in disguise. “To me, that forced fun that encourages binge drinking has always cringed me out. A lot of my friends who went to university last year were emotional wrecks by the end of the first week and felt homesick and hungover,” she says. “I know it’s part of the package and I do think it’s a shame we’ll miss out on making friends in bars and clubs, but the actual chances of finding lifelong friends there are low. We’ll just have to do it in a different environment.”

Book your events

Do your research before you arrive. According to Universities UK, 87% of universities say they are planning to provide in-person sporting, fitness and wellbeing activities, but for many events you will have to book. It will not be a free-for-all, so go on to the university website and find out what’s available.

Get connected in advance

Before arriving, make good use of all the Facebook and Instagram groups and look into specific societies that suit you. Don’t worry if you don’t feel comfortable posting or commenting straight away; you can still get a sense of who you’re going to meet when you get there.

Make a plan

There will be someone in your student community who will make a great friend for you – but give yourself the opportunity of finding them, rather than leaving it to chance. See what students are doing through the union, look into volunteering opportunities, and be friendly to people in your hall or house if you’re moving into student accommodation.

Talk to others around you

Once you arrive on campus don’t be afraid to start a conversation with other students. Sit next to someone different in lectures and chat to second- or third-year students who have experienced online learning already. Most people want to make friends, so put yourself out there and remember that everyone is in the same boat.

*some names changed

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