Editors’ Letter – Be a social creature

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f there’s anything that you remember when you start university, please let it be that your first year is for socialising.

It doesn’t matter if you weren’t a hugely social creature at school. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to drink or go clubbing. It doesn’t matter if you were planning on marathoning every single show on Netflix as soon as you escaped your parent’s oppressive grasp.

Leave your room, and, as a first step, talk to everyone on your floor. If you’re a party person, follow the mass of bright-eyed freshers out of the door to the SU or further afield; none of you will ever look as attractive again as you did at the start of freshers’ fortnight, not once the alcohol and lack of sleep has done its rounds. If this isn’t your cup of tea, that is no excuse. Go knock on doors and see who else stayed in, or you’ll all be left in your rooms worrying that you’re already doing the university thing wrong.

But don’t stop there. Talk to the people in your seminars; accost them in the corridors before and after. A good icebreaker can be ‘I thought you made a really good point about…’ because drawing attention to yourself in seminars is always a bit stressful, and they’ll be very grateful for the reassurance. Build up from there. The same applies to lectures and practicals, if you have them.

Most importantly, join more societies than realistically possible.

I had a list of societies to try out at the start of the year and when times clashed I went to a different society each week, and only carried on the ones I liked. The experience of going to societies you don’t like is useful specifically because you’ll meet people that you’ll later recognise and be able to talk to; the campus will feel more familiar that little bit faster. If you’re in second year or higher, don’t feel excluded from this: it’s never too late to join up to a society.

When it boils down to it, your first year doesn’t count for much academically, if anything at all. Pass, by all means necessary; but be aware that what is actually necessary will likely add up to a few hours effort in term three. It might be a struggle for you to get out of the habit of studying after A-Levels, you might actually be a particularly conscientious student, or you might really enjoy your subject. In which case, be strong, and save it for next year or at least for during the day when everyone else is sleeping.

When second year ticks round and you have to knuckle down a bit more, you’ll be glad of the people at hand to commiserate with.
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Photo: flicker/iancvt55