Freshers Guide: Halls

Have you got the fear about your first few days at uni?
Been there, done that sUK member Pussy Kat will walk you through it.

At this time of year, A-Level students want to know what to expect from uni, so I think it's about time that I told them all what to expect. Take it from me, and listen to the person who has been at uni for longer than most of you have been at school.I am an institution at Greenwich Uni, and my Freshers' Year was 2005 - it is now 2009 and I am still not done, but that is another story.

The days leading up to leaving home I can't really remember as it was a long time ago, but I remember calling the Halls I was moving into, to see what is included in terms of furniture and things I might need. I moved in, they left and I was alone. The halls were filling up, but I hadn't spoken to anyone. I spent the first night sorting out my room, and watching Big Brother, which is pants at the best of times. I woke up on Sunday morning, watched Hollyoaks - - and put up some posters and the room was starting to transform from a prison cell to my own little pit. At about five pm, after watching Songs of Praise and other Sunday afternoon drivel, there was a rat-a-tat-tat at my door. I was a bit worried as to who it might be, but it was a girl from Birmingham who was called Nicola. She was lovely, and I joined her on meeting new people along my floor.

We met some characters along the way, and it was a good thing to break the ice. Most of the people on my floor were starting the same course as me on the Monday, so I had already got people I could copy work from. I was a pretty shy person when I started uni, as I had gone to an all girl's school in Plymouth, and it was a big change for me. It soon became apparent that I wasn't as shy as I had thought, as I began to talk to people as I realised that everyone was in the same boat - alone and away from home and everything we knew. Nicola and I gathered a few people together and traipsed off towards the Student Union, which was already pretty busy. I hadn't had a chance to see either the Halls or the union before I started there, as there wasn't really enough time on the open day, but it was a pleasant surprise. the drinks were cheap, and we soon found out they were only that cheap as they were out of date, which would explain why I felt like crap the next day. Nicola and I joined some people at a table. They were from the 4th floor, and we were from the 7th floor. We just drank and chatted about where we were from, and it was all very relaxed. Nicola and I became great pals with Surekha and Yumi, and Surekha is my best friend to this day. This was the beginning of a new chapter in my life, I have made friends at uni that I will have for the rest of my life. It was exciting, and although everyone felt a bit awkward at first, soon after the dodgy beer had been flowing combined with a low alcohol intolerance, people became very warm and friendly, and it was great. And my alcohol intolerance has gone sky high, which is another thing that uni has taught me. The thing with uni is that you have to be open-minded as you will meet a whole range of people that you might not have otherwise met.

You must be confident, and remember that no matter what people have said about you in the past, at school or wherever, it is a fresh start. I dropped my school nickname of almost ten years on my first day of uni, and that was a relief. Be organised before you go, and ring up the uni as many times as you need to, to make sure you are taking everything you need. Don't be afraid to take mementos of home, and this includes cuddly toys, as you will want things to remind you of home if you get lonely. And most of all, just relax and have a ball - I did, and it's easy.

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