20 Things I Learned as a University of Hertfordshire Fresher
There is only so much you can learn on your own as a fresher. It definitely helps to have past fresher’s advice from real students! Keep reading for 20 tips every University of Hertfordshire fresher should know!
1. The best place for cheap pizza is Robins.
(Also the best place to order from during fresher’s week.)
2. If you don’t go to anything else at the Freshers’ Fair, be sure to make a beeline for the Domino’s £1 small pizza boxes.
This is super useful during freshers week when you’re too busy to cook.
3. Go to the pub when you can.
Clubbing isn’t for everyone, but everyone can enjoy the pub- even if you don’t drink. The Wetherspoons near de Havilland is basically brand new. The Style bar has half price cocktails on Thursdays with the cheapest being £2.95 for a cocktail. Also, the Elehouse also always has drink deals and their curly fries are great.
4. Explore St. Albans or Watford, they’re just a bus ride away.
Or make the most of being close to London!
5. Don’t bother using the gym facilities at Herts unless you are sure you won’t just be wasting money.
Although the gym facilities at Herts are amazing, unless you’re actually going to go to the gym like you intend to, don’t bother wasting your money. Active student does free exercise classes like yoga which you don’t need to commit to. Link to their website here!
6. Take as many pictures as you can throughout the year.
It’s great to have memories when you get home.
7. It is important to try and act as civil as possible towards everyone in your flat.
You’re unlikely to like everyone in your flat, but try to stay civil at least, (it makes going to the kitchen much less awkward).
8. You’ll probably be ill for the first few weeks or even months of university.
Just power through- but if you’re feeling extremely ill go to the medical centre in Hutton hub. Make sure to register at the medical centre before you come to university, you can do this online, here!
9. You don’t need to attend every Freshers’ event, but try to attend the big ones.
Events like Cheeky Wednesday (£1.50 Jäger bombs are literally the best) are ones you will not want to miss, and this also goes for the bigger events throughout the rest of the year.
10. Avoid the club photographer.
They are not your friend, you may think it’s a good idea- but it’s really not. Pictures of you drunk are bad when you take them yourself, let alone when a stranger takes the pictures.
11. Rather than buying your textbooks, try to look for them in the library or find a cheaper, earlier edition instead.
Try to find an earlier edition of your desired textbook if the edition on the reading list isn’t there. Use the library search to find out which library it’s in (your course textbooks tend to be in the campus library of where you do your course) or if it’s available in an ebook form. I didn’t use my textbooks as much I expected so buying them is just a very expensive waste.
12. Keep your Freshers Student Union wristband if you get one!
This is because if you want to go to the summer ball you can get the ticket for it discounted.
13. Try to get early bird forum tickets (which you can buy online and are on your student card).
Especially on nights where acts are playing or popular nights (like the end of semester) cheeky Wednesdays or Halloween cheeky Wednesday.
14. The best time to do work is actually the weekend.
This is because weekends at Hertfordshire tend to be very chill as many people go home.
15. Don’t stress too much about acing exams unless you are planning on doing a placement year.
(A 2:1 or 1st is preferable.) All you need to do is pass but that’s not an excuse to do poorly and not an excuse to use your 1st year because it’s still easier to fail than you think.
16. Make sure you make the time to have your best friends from home come visit you and visit them at their universities.
It’s so great to see your back-home friends get to know your uni-friends.
17. Try to limit how often you shop at the Student Union shop.
Although the student union shop may seem convenient (especially if you live on de Havilland campus), try to limit how often you buy stuff in it, its more expensive than the supermarket
18. Try to look presentable for your student id card, it stays with you for 3 years.
19. Download your timetable from studynet.
Download your timetable from study net by clicking on “subscribe to calendar as seen below” onto your phone so you can see when your lectures are without logging onto studynet.
20. It is perfectly normal to feel lonely or homesick, especially as a fresher.
Don’t worry about feeling lonely or homesick while at university, everyone experiences it. The university offers lots of support if you’re really finding down. You can check out more information about all of that here!
