Freshers' Week: DOs And DON'Ts

One of the most glaring cultural barriers for many students coming to study in the UK from abroad is the national attitude towards booze. Part of this, of course, is a kind of mythological stereotype.

Just as the French do not actually spend all of their time lounging around in cafes discussing the finer tenets of post-structuralism, the Spanish do actually stay awake for long enough to go to work every now and again, the Germans do actually have a sense of humour, and the Italians don’t actually exist in a state of grandiose oscillation between sin and beatitude, communism and fascism, and tragedy and comedy, the popular notion that a Saturday night in the average UK town center resembles a cross between an Eastenders stag do and the seventh circle of Dante’s inferno is also something of an exaggeration.

That said, for many international students Freshers' Week may still come as a bit of a shock. Traditionally this referred to a period before the pressures of lectures and assignments had kicked in, during which new undergraduates could meet, make friends, socialise and join societies. And to a certain extent this is still the case. But in modern UK student culture it can also be synonymous with a week of pretty much perpetual inebriation.

I’ll give you an example. My Freshers' Week started with the Freshers' Committee (ie the rugby team) herding all of the male freshers into what resembled some sort of rudimentary bomb shelter, whereupon a group of brave and ill-advised volunteers (not including me, thankfully) were then coerced into a competition whereby they had to down supermarket own-brand lager until they were sick.

Now admittedly this sort of in-your-face laddishness is the exception rather than the norm. And let’s not pretend that going out and letting your hair down isn’t also sometimes pretty fun, and kind of goes with the territory of being a student. But for those finding their feet in the UK – and especially those who come from countries in which drinking isn’t the norm – here are some quick do’s and don’ts that might help you survive Freshers' Week with your soul, bank balance, dignity and liver largely intact:

Do: Remember that Freshers' week doesn’t have to involve binge drinking.

You may be the sort of hedonistic extrovert who loves nothing more than a wild night out, in which case you’ll be in your element. But even if the idea of drinking warm, watery lager in a sticky-floored club sounds like a nightmare, approach it with a pinch of salt and you can still have a great time and track down some likeminded people – even if you mostly bond over your shared bemusement.

Don’t: Worry if you don’t meet your best friend straight away.

It’s a cliché but it’s nonetheless true – you will probably spend the next three years trying to shake off the people you meet in fresher’s week. This might sound misanthropic but the general point is that you shouldn’t worry if your idealised notion of immediately making friends for life doesn’t correspond with reality.

Do: Try to balance going out and meeting people with more constructive activities.

It’s something you’ll probably never hear said apart from when you’re a student, but joining societies is actually a pretty good idea. Especially if you’re finding the Freshers' Week nights out a bit cringeworthy, signing up for societies is a way to meet people with whom you share interests and hobbies – anything from a style of music to a sport or a political allegiance.

Don’t: Try to impress people after a few drinks by a) boasting about how cool everyone thought  you were at school b) trying to out-drink everyone else or c) dancing on the bar.

It will end in tears of bitter shame.

Do: If you are drinking, pace yourself and drink some water.

Especially if you’re being exposed to alcohol for the first time, a note of caution is highly advisable – both for the sake of your health and potential loss of dignity. Drink some water throughout the night and try not to mix your drinks too much – you’ll see what I mean when you have your first hangover.

Don’t: Forget that it’s only for one week.

Even if you hate every minute of Freshers' Week (and let’s face it, most people end up having a pretty good time), remember that it’s the exception rather than the rule – there’s a lot more to being a student in the UK than drunken nights out. And by the same token, if you’re having the time of your life, remember that at some point you’re going to have to come back down to earth – make sure you don’t carry on with your own personal Freshers' Week long after everyone else has stopped…