To my fresher self, and to freshers everywhere,

College can seem complicated to the outside eye. And sometimes daunting. Yet that precious first year helps you grow and change in sometimes a radical way, for the better, and helps you understand who you are and what you want to become. 

Enjoy your time in Halls; it won’t come again. The opportunity of living so close to a thousand people your age with different interests and nationalities as well as similar worries and stresses is amazing and creates a huge sense of belonging. 

Make friends from different backgrounds: those who remind you of home and those who don’t, friends from Halls, from class, from societies, and random people you meet on the LUAS ride to college…

Get involved! It’s the best way to meet people, as cliché as it sounds. Societies and their committees, SU, JCR, student journalism… Try something you’ve always wished to try, as outlandish as it might be!

Take time for yourself. Sleep. Do your laundry. Do your dishes. Don’t procrastinate on the important stuff. Call home. Be mindful of your flatmates. Find out who to go to if you get sick (believe me, that one’s important).

Don’t hesitate to ask for help. There’s bound to be someone around who can lend a hand or listen to you. Don’t hesitate to ask for an extension. The worst they can say is no. 

Stay open to things you might not have considered. Sometimes, the best memories are the ones no one expected – the nights in that became nights out, or the nights out that never happened. 

But most importantly, watch out for the big picture! I know the daily stresses of life sometimes take over all your thoughts, but don’t let this amazing experience pass you by because you’re worried about an assignment. They seem like huge deals now, but believe me, when you board the plane at the end of the year you’ll look back at those frantic library nights with a smile. 

Good luck! 

Alix