Ten Mistakes Every Fresher Will Make and How to Avoid Them

It’s inevitable... every fresher is bound to make mistakes. After all, for many, it’s the first time living on your own. While making mistakes and learning from them is all part of the freshers’ experience, we’re giving you a heads up on how to stay clear of them.   

Below are some of the most common mistakes freshers normally make and some helpful tips on how these can be avoided! 

1. Forgetting the essentials  

If you’re attempting to pack your whole room into a suitcase, chances are you’ll end up forgetting some of the things that you actually need.  

How to avoid:   

Order your essential items from Noah and receive a 10% discount on your first order! From pans to plates and towels to pillows, Noah has everything you need.  

2. Not signing up for the doctor’s surgery 

The first time you’re ill when away from home is a challenging experience, and not having anyone to bring you a much-needed hot water bottle can be hard.   

Falling ill before you’ve signed up for your local doctor’s surgery can make things even worse, as it makes it harder to get the medical help you need.   

How to avoid:  

Check out the GP surgery nearest to your Village and sign up as soon as you can. If you’re struggling to find one local to you, ask one of our Village team members, who will be able to point you in the right direction.   

3. Hiding in your room 

As scary as meeting lots of new people sounds, it isn’t that bad! Remember, everyone’s in the same boat as you and connecting and making friends is essential to uni life. 

How to avoid:  

When you first meet your flatmates, it might be difficult to know where to begin, but we recommend organising day trips to explore your new surroundings, going out for lunch or grabbing a quick coffee together. You can even hang out in your Village’s communal spaces.   

4. Leaving the dishes until they go mouldy 

No one enjoys washing up straight away. However, you’ll like the aftermath of leaving them out even less. The same goes for emptying the bins regularly; it’s needed if you don’t want your kitchen smelling.   

How to avoid:  

Get in the habit of doing your dishes straight after you’ve eaten. For other general cleaning duties, make sure you work out a plan with your flatmates, where one person is dedicated to a specific task on set days.  

5. Not turning up to your course induction  

With so many events goings on in fresher’s week, it’s easy to forget that you have a course to study for.   

Although getting to know your flatmates might be one of the most important things on your mind. If you get invited to a course induction, it’s important that you go and chat with people who’ll you’ll be in lectures with over the next three years.   

How to avoid:  

Set an alarm and make sure to take it easy the night before. Even if your induction is at 9 am, it’ll be worth it in the end!  

6. Not budgeting  

For many students, seeing your maintenance loan land in your bank account is a big test. It’s important to remember that it needs to see you through a full term, so it’s probably best not to go on an unnecessary shopping spree. 

How to avoid:  

Set yourself a weekly or monthly budget and stick to it. There are plenty of money-saving apps out there that can help you manage your funds.   

7. Leaving everything until the night before 

So many students leave their work to the last minute. The best time to finish that essay is not on the same morning that it’s due in.  

How to avoid:  

A little forward planning and some organisation can be a big help. It also allows you to reflect on the work and get a head start.  

8. Putting colours in with whites  

Although it may sound quite obvious, it’s very easy to forget. No one wants to head to the laundry room and find their washing has changed colour mid-cycle.   

How to avoid:  

Always divide your washing into colours, whites and darks, and put them on a separate wash.   

9. Not backing up your work 

You've probably heard this advice so many times, however, backing up your work is essential, especially when you’ve put all that hard-earned effort into creating it in the first place!  

How to avoid:  

No one wants to be in that situation where you have to start again. Invest in a hard drive or use online storage as it could save you from some very stressful last-minute typing.   

10. Not getting enough sleep 

With the excitement of freshers’ week and its dedicated events, sleep can be easily sacrificed, and you can stretch yourself too thin.   

How to avoid:  

Remember to pace yourself. Ensure you enjoy the university experience but do not compromise your academic life and well-being. It’s ok to say ‘no’ and sit out some activities if you're feeling a little worn out.