5 Mistakes Every Fresher Will Make

Starting university can be a bit overwhelming, exciting and worrying. As a fresher, you should be ready to indulge in fun activities and new experiences while making the most of your first year. You are now starting to take control of your life; therefore, mistakes are bound to happen. Adult life is not easy! From finishing some paperwork to packing your bags, there is always room for mistakes while preparing to move away from your parents. 

To ensure a unique fresher experience, you better keep an eye on the following mistakes. We will provide you with a guide to avoid them. So let’s dive into the 5 most common mistakes every fresher will make and how to avoid them.

1. Packing The Wrong Stuff

When it comes to packing your bags, you don’t have to pack everything. Doing so is not only daunting but also makes you forget and leave essentials behind.

So how to decide what is essential and what is not? Whatever can be bought there, you can leave behind. You will find shops and stores where you can buy items that you might need in your lectures or things that you will use in your accommodation. Therefore, make a list with what you know you can’t find anywhere else. Clothes, a few snacks from your home country and important papers you might need are the bare essentials. You could also bring your laptop to use for your assignments. 

2. Attending Many Events OR None at All

During your first year, there are various events and activities to make friends and familiarise yourself with university life. Getting caught up in too many events at the beginning will take the fun out of them. You could end up getting sick and get what is called “ The Freshers' Flu” which is exhaustion caused by a mix of lack of sleep and stress due to too many events. Online events count as well! So don’t think that just because events this year are all online, you can attend everything. Take this opportunity to choose carefully what to attend.

3. Leaving Everything Until the Deadline

Don’t underestimate the time needed to complete your assignments. Procrastinating until the last minute will affect your grades and cause you stress. It is way easier to start early and leave enough time for yourself to revise your assignments rather than writing your essay the night before the deadline.

Planning ahead and balancing your academic and social life will pay off at the end of the semester and will make room for more fun and worry-free time to spend. You can learn more about time management through our blog: Time Management Tips & Tricks.

4. Starting Fresher Year Without Budgeting

Keeping track of your spendings can be boring, but it is important to make the most of your university life. At first, having control over your money will lure you into spending a lot on useless things. But it is your responsibility as an independent student to manage your money carefully.

Calculate how much money you need to spend monthly and try to save up for summer vacation or the upcoming sale during holidays. When you go shopping, don’t forget to ask about student discounts as there are some stores offering great deals! We have gathered for you 5 student discount cards every UK student should have.

5. Shopping While Hungry 

Additionally, don’t go shopping while hungry. You will ask then, when should I go buy food? The answer is to plan your shopping trips according to the budgeting plan we discussed earlier. It is better to have your food prepared and ready in your accommodation when needed. Hunger will make you buy things that you don’t need because you feel that you might eat all of that.

Following these tips will help you stay away from the common mistakes every fresher tends to make. For more ideas on how to start off your university year, check out our blog for tips to survive your first year at university.