Every mistake you’ll make as a fresher

If there is one point in your life where you can remodel yourself and be as free as you’ll ever be as a person, its your first year at university. However, with new found freedom, comes inevitable mistakes.

• Spending way too much money in your first week – Its a classic rookie error. You just want to fit in and have fun, so you end up going to the most expensive club in the city. Or  you end up buying ridiculous things when you go for your first food shop; “I might need this tin of sausages at some point”.
• You’ll make friend with the first person you meet who does the same course as you – You’ll then realise after about a week how you really don’t get along with them, and spend the rest of your time trying to avoid them. The odd smile and wave now and then – maybe a quizzical look at your phone when you don’t recognise this person on Facebook – is as far as the friendship will go.
• Deciding to live with your whole flat in the second year – It may seem like a great idea after a month of living together, but after a year you will realise that there is at least one person who doesn’t fit in the group, or you just simply don’t get on with.
• Saying “I’ll just have a quiet one” when your friends are going out – This will inevitably turn into one of the biggest night outs you’ll ever have and that 9am lecture the next day, that you were having a “quiet one” for, will be hellish.
• Underestimating how much harder university work is – Every student assumes that work at uni will be the same as their A Levels. Even as a first year, the work load is vastly increased and staying up the night before deadlines to finish coursework will become a regular occurrence.
• You’ll get it on with someone from your course – The following days, weeks or even months will be met with awkward smiles and hellos as you try to forget that it even happened.
• You’ll invite your home friends to come and visit – This seems like a great idea, your home gang can come and party with your new friends. However, you’ll spend the whole time feeling awkward as your two lives clash together rather pathetically. home friends are for home.
• Finding a house becomes way too stressful – everyone wants to find a house before they all go, however as newbies to this you and your group will inevitably get mugged off by letting agents. The house wont be what you wanted and you’ll pay way too much for it.

Don’t listen to the stereotype, dating your flatmate is great

The phrase “don’t sh*t where you eat” was repeated to me about a hundred times in my first year. This is of course referring to being in any type of relationship with your flatmate. University folklore tells you that sleeping with your flatmate is forbidden. You treat your flatmates like family. You wouldn’t date your sister would you?

Well this stereotype is flawed. Going out with your flatmate is ace. It started with a few cheeky kisses on nights out, that we shook off as freshers fun. Then we became cuddle buddies. Until it got to the point where we hated the other one bringing anyone else back. Its at this point that you realise that maybe its time to go on a date.  All the naysayers say that it will be awkward if we break up. University is about trying something new and exciting, what is the point in worrying about the future? Besides I don’t normally look to date someone if I’m going to break up with them.

Living with your girlfriend/boyfriend may seem pretty intense, but if it ever does get too much (which it rarely does) you have the rest of your flat too hang out with and you still have your own room to lock yourself in. Even though you realise sometimes that things have got intense pretty fast – conversations like “we need some more milk” do make you think twice about the situation – it is still great. You have someone to sleep with every night, meals become cheaper and it honestly makes the relationship stronger. My girlfriend and I are on different courses and play different sports, so we still have time away from each other. It didn’t change the flat dynamic, we still all went on nights out together, just make sure everyone is on the same page.