University students share advice for incoming freshers

As a record number of 18-year-olds prepare to start university, current students are sharing advice to help incoming freshers navigate common anxieties such as budgeting, homesickness, and social integration.

To combat the fear of meeting new people, students suggest engaging in academic settings or extracurricular activities. For example, one student found common ground by initiating conversations during lectures and seminars in Cardiff. Another student in Nottingham, who commuted rather than living in student halls, successfully built a social circle by joining student magazine, radio, and theatre societies.

General advice from those who have completed their first year emphasizes the importance of acting confident despite internal nerves and actively participating in interests to meet like-minded peers.