Hello lovely people! Emily here, a second year Law (LLB) with Forensic Psychology student right here in Worcester! Today, I am writing (well, you’re reading) about 5 ways I made university life less daunting for my somewhat introverted self! I hope you find these tips helpful for what is kind of a scary time!
1. Make sure you take time for yourself! – Halls can be … overwhelming at first, to say the least! So, alongside the fresher’s week madness, it is important to make use of the time you have! Decorate your room! Pictures are a great conversation starter. Go for a walk – take the time to explore your new home! Even having an extra-long shower gives you some time to decompress! A movie night in is the perfect balance between relaxing and spending time with your new friends and counts as socialising, but with only a little talking – A win/win!
2. Say yes! (But not all the time!) – There is so much going on during fresher’s week, from events in The Hangar, to nights out on the town! Flat dinners, ‘sophisticated nights in’ and movie nights are just as fun as a night out! Saying ‘yes’ breaks that ice! As a ‘tea-total’, it can be quite difficult to join in when everyone around you has been … not tea-total, but there is still so much to enjoy! So let go, have fun, and join in!
3. Use the planned University events
The University puts on loads and loads of events over fresher’s week (and beyond), so make sure to go along! From karaoke nights in The Hangar, to vintage fashion fairs, there is something for absolutely everyone! A good place to start is always the fresher’s fair! Grab some free pizza, enjoy the great entertainment, and maybe even get a free wall planner! Oh! And don’t forget to look at the Sports and Societies whilst your there!
4. Make friends with your people! Not just flatmates (although they’re fun too)
University is a great place to make friends with ‘your’ people (I’ll credit Greys Anatomy here). The University is full of diversity and whether you’re into books, Dungeons and Dragons or swimming, there is always someone else into it too! Flatmates are great, and I had a blast with mine, but American football and netball was not for me! Food is a great way to make new friends! In fact, bring some cakes out when they visit, they’ll never leave (trust me, I live with the cake person now!)
4. Join a society, or a sport!
Societies and Sports are a great way to make a group of friends that like the same thing you do! Remember when you picked your subjects at A-Level and thought ‘wow – these people aren’t wasting lesson time?’ It’s just like that, but better! You don’t have to be professional dancer, or pro-footballer – just want to be there, because we want you there! The Saints has been an awesome part of my University life, and I am most definitely not a ballerina!
So, there you have it! These are some of my ‘top-tips’ for being an introvert in an extroverted place! The biggest take-away from this is do it in your own time! You can absolutely say no (and no one will hate you for it!) Worcester is a wonderfully diverse and accepting place – you’ll fit right in!
Write Soon! Emily x
Worcester Student Life 