Is freshers’ week for everyone?

It’s freshers’ week at Warwick University – which means that pubs, clubs, and bars are about to be commandeered by first years looking for a good night out. Whether you choose to spend your time at the societies fair, doing karaoke at The Duck, circling for the first time, or maybe even dancing at the Foam Party, Warwick has plenty on offer to help students ‘settle’ into the academic year. But here’s the age-old question: is freshers’ week, exactly as the name suggests, only for freshers? And is it worth attending at all?

[Freshers activities are] designed to help you assimilate into university life

Welcome week events can seem intimidating – you’re circling the corridors of the FAB for what feels like hours, trying to find the right door code, only to step in and see absolutely zero familiar faces. If you feel nervous and regret ever even stepping out of your accom, it’s important to remember that at some point, every student has felt the exact same way. Treat these activities as a trial-and-error period to determine what works for you, engage in what you find interesting, and give it a miss when the vibes just aren’t right. Icebreaker events do not have to feel like a humiliation ritual – they’re designed to help you assimilate into university life.

There is no wrong time to push yourself and try something different

Bearing this in mind, it would then seem that freshers’ week activities are best suited to exactly that: freshers. After all, they’re designed for new students to meet new people and join new societies. However, it seems to me that there is no wrong time to push yourself and try something different, and on such a large campus, why limit yourself to just one bubble of friends? Some students, as I found, spend their first year glued to the side of their flatmates and never feel the need to venture outside of their corridor. Why would you need to when you can knock on one door to get the perfect advice, the next one to get a new recipe, and the one down the hall for a night out? But circumstances change – people get busy and change their priorities, which is why I think it’s important to broaden your horizons and meet as many people as you can, no matter your year of study. Breaking the ice with new people is often not limited to welcome week. And for many, university is a one-time experience that flies by before you know it, so do it while you can!

Final years deserve the chance to cherish Disco Dave’s tunes and Smack Q-Jumps as long as physically possible

When it comes to partying, there is no doubt in my mind that there is a place for everyone, and welcome week is the perfect opportunity for partying without the pressure. There are no assignments, no 9am lectures, and no looming thoughts of internships or grad-jobs (hopefully). When the lights are off and Charli XCX is playing, Neon does not discriminate. Warwick has more to offer than people think, and final years deserve the chance to cherish Disco Dave’s tunes and Smack Q-Jumps as long as physically possible. You might find yourself missing it once it’s over. I can’t personally report on all welcome week club nights, but when I attended the Foam Party in my first year, purely out of FOMO, I remember genuinely being surprised that I had a fun time. Maybe it is worth forcing yourself out of bed and trying something just that bit different, you never know if you’ll learn something, or if you’ll get pink eye (not really).

There is no perfect formula

So, is freshers’ week really limited to freshers only? Events and activities may be tailored for new students, but there are no restrictions on the opportunity to meet new people and try new things. It’s one of the rare times of year that academic pressure remains relatively low, so it’s the perfect time to spend the week eating endless slices of Domino’s, trying new societies and sports, and just generally doing what you enjoy. University is just as much about personal development as it is about academics. Freshers’ week is for everyone because everyone gets to decide how they use it, and what they take from it. You can do everything, or you can pick and choose your activities – there is no perfect formula. And although partying does not have to be synonymous with the ‘perfect freshers’ experience’, and drinking is not required to have fun, make the most of your ability to lie in. You can sleep in every day of the week if you’d like, but remember to do your readings. You’ll thank yourself later.