So, Freshers week? Seven days of bad booze, bad decisions and even worse hangovers: how can it be that this alcohol driven week is referred to as "the best week of your life?" Well, it’s a week of no regrets, nothing at stake and freedom from the prison of living at home. Loving the feeling of eating what you want, drinking what you want and finally being able to blow off steam in a safe environment. Your parents can rest knowing that the university will look after your safety and you can have as much fun that you want… surely everyone wins?
Unfortunately, I do not believe this is the case. Whilst for some, Fresher’s week will be extremely fun and enjoyable, for many others it is entirely opposite. For example, a close friend of mine had never been away from home for longer than a school trip’s length and her family rarely travelled farther than the next county. For her, leaving home and moving all the way from Exeter to York was a massive deal and she simply found Fresher’s week horrible. It was too intense because as soon as her parents said goodbye she was thrown into drinking games and all sorts of frivolity with people she barely knew the names of. Finding this uncomfortable, she closed up and found it very difficult to make meaningful connections to her flatmates and still struggles with being away from home 3 weeks into term. You could argue that university merely doesn’t suit her but it does, she excels in her lectures and she is an easy-going likeable person. It was simply the pressure to make friends from minute one which caused her to put her guard up, I truly fear that the Fresher’s week blues will ruin her first term at University.
Also, how are you supposed to enjoy yourself with the pressure of having the “best week of your life?” Imagine being told that the next hour would be the best hour ever – no other hour in your entire life will compare to it. You would spend the entire hour doing whatever you were doing worrying that you weren’t having enough fun rather than just sitting back and enjoying the ride. Fresher’s week is similar. The oppressive pressure of it can cause the fun to feel forced and therefore be far from the best week in your life.
So, lesson to be learnt, if you don’t want to go out and drink, you really don’t have to. Honestly, as long as you’re sociable during the day your flatmates will understand. It is your fresher’s week, make it what you want. Don’t let the fear of people disliking you for not enjoying clubbing stop you from being yourself. Your flatmates will love you a lot more if they think you are being yourself. Finally, relax. You will love university, don’t let the pressure of having fun ruin your intro week. If you relax, you will enjoy it far more, I promise!
Unfortunately, I do not believe this is the case. Whilst for some, Fresher’s week will be extremely fun and enjoyable, for many others it is entirely opposite. For example, a close friend of mine had never been away from home for longer than a school trip’s length and her family rarely travelled farther than the next county. For her, leaving home and moving all the way from Exeter to York was a massive deal and she simply found Fresher’s week horrible. It was too intense because as soon as her parents said goodbye she was thrown into drinking games and all sorts of frivolity with people she barely knew the names of. Finding this uncomfortable, she closed up and found it very difficult to make meaningful connections to her flatmates and still struggles with being away from home 3 weeks into term. You could argue that university merely doesn’t suit her but it does, she excels in her lectures and she is an easy-going likeable person. It was simply the pressure to make friends from minute one which caused her to put her guard up, I truly fear that the Fresher’s week blues will ruin her first term at University.
Also, how are you supposed to enjoy yourself with the pressure of having the “best week of your life?” Imagine being told that the next hour would be the best hour ever – no other hour in your entire life will compare to it. You would spend the entire hour doing whatever you were doing worrying that you weren’t having enough fun rather than just sitting back and enjoying the ride. Fresher’s week is similar. The oppressive pressure of it can cause the fun to feel forced and therefore be far from the best week in your life.
So, lesson to be learnt, if you don’t want to go out and drink, you really don’t have to. Honestly, as long as you’re sociable during the day your flatmates will understand. It is your fresher’s week, make it what you want. Don’t let the fear of people disliking you for not enjoying clubbing stop you from being yourself. Your flatmates will love you a lot more if they think you are being yourself. Finally, relax. You will love university, don’t let the pressure of having fun ruin your intro week. If you relax, you will enjoy it far more, I promise!