Two people riding a carousel at Welcome Week at the University of Salford.
Credit: Charles Leek

1. Make the most out of the first few weeks of Uni

The first two weeks of university will be the best time of your life! Go out with your flatmates, make the most out of the welcome events hosted on main campus and allow the excitement of moving to take over – you’ll never be a first year moving away from home for the first time ever again so live in the present, you’ll 100% miss your first weeks of uni when they’re gone.

Image: Sports team celebrating

2. Join a society

One regret you have is not joining a sport or society in the first year. They are a fantastic way to make friends of similar interest to you and it’s great to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Being a part of a sports society especially will keep you active which is great for your health physically and mentally when uni work starts to get a little more intense!

3. Continue to make friends, even when you’ve found a friend group

It’s very easy to just settle with the first friends you make instead of continuing to meet new people and making more friends, but this can often be a mistake, as you might find people that are more suited to you later down the line. Often people move into their 2nd year accommodation with the first friends they make at university, and unfortunately, many people regret doing so and wished they had waited, so definitely keep putting the effort in to make friends even if you’re already comfortable at the moment with the ones you’ve got.

Photo of man holding a black pan on with a wooden stick on his right hand

4. Learn the basics of cooking before you come to university

Sorry first year me, but your cooking was terrible, you didn’t even know how to boil pasta and all you ate was microwave meals – not cool! Now, we have tasty home-cooked meals all of the time, and have seriously improved our ability to cook, however we could’ve been eating this good every year if you had just learnt how to cook properly before coming to university, so I definitely recommend you learn, even if it’s just the basics, as it will serve you greatly in the long run.

Long exposure of a women standing with the tram passing by

5. Try not to visit home too often in the first couple of months

Getting the train home every weekend or even missing university to go home for some time away can impact your life at uni, socially and academically, especially in the first couple of months. These months are all about learning to be independent and socially are the most important months to make friends and meet new people. By going home every chance you get, you aren’t giving yourself the chance to even settle in or make friends before friendship groups start to form, which could make you feel lonely or result in you not enjoying your university experience. I recommend staying until Christmas, especially if you live far away, to fully allow yourself to settle in your new environment and give it a real go before going home as soon as you move out.