Dear Freshers,

As you pack up your rooms, fill the boxes with kitchen utensils you will never use (except maybe in a food fight) and say your goodbyes I wonder if you know you are embarking on the most exciting, memorable and life changing three years.

You’re excited and unsure what to expect, with a hint (or a huge amount) of nerves. Sure there will be times you feel homesick and emotional but don’t rush home, within the first few weeks especially. The initial term is crucial for making friends and attending social events; the first few weeks of uni are amongst the best. Those that head home every weekend always miss out.

You’ll never have enough money for books but always enough for Two for Tuesday’s and a new pair of shoes, student discount makes that splurge entirely justifable.. You’ll have time to take three hour naps and watch an entire series of The Hills back to back but still start that essay the night before it’s due. Hours on end will be wasted chatting in the communal kitchen, oh is that the time? I guess I’ll start my research tomorrow now. Your new neighbours become your family but there will be one strange flatmate, always.

Own brand Vodka becomes your new best friend and you’ll live off a diet of pasta and endless cups of tea. Luxuries like bacon sarnies and Smirnoff become strictly loan day purchases, who knew bacon was so expensive?

Army attire and nurse outfits will replace your little black dress and pre-drinks will go on so long you won’t go out til midnight, you’ll undoubtedly endure a case of Fresher’s Flu but it’s nothing another game of ring of fire won’t sort out…

With every club offering £1 drinks a tenner is plenty for a night out but you’ll still be spending the bank’s money rather than your own, hello overdraft! And those nights when you do stay in? You’ll wish you’d gone out as the fire alarm will wake you at 3am, 4am and 5am anyway.

It’s amazing how quick you grow up and grow old; Stumbling in at 4am then rolling out of bed for a 9am lecture is no problem at all in first year, in third year? Practically impossible. Third year will see you swap box sets in bed for coffee-filled library days so make the most of it.

Maybe I am not selling it with 9am lectures, cheap pasta and odd housemates but it’s difficult to comprehend unless you’ve experienced university. For the first time for most, you are able to live life independently, doing what you want, when you want. No-one’s going to stop you having a foodfight at 3am or complain about your lack of washing up.

Everyone will tell you how fast uni goes and you will shrug it off but it honestly does fly by so enjoy it. Before you know it you’ll be handing in the dissertation and driving back home.

Yours,

An envious graduate.