Opinion

Freshers' week is one of the most exciting times at the university, as well as being daunting for new students. As you begin your university experience, you may struggle with the issues that come with your new transition, or you may already be aware of a mental condition before joining us. Either way, there is a great deal of support to aid student wellbeing on campus. Here are some advice and tips on how to take care of yourself throughout Freshers' Week:  Go out and meet people! Get to know your flatmates if you’re in halls, or attend some of the events on offer. Meeting people who are going through the same thing as you can make everything seem less overwhelming. Listen to your body. Don’t try to push yourself too hard. If you need to rest, then rest! Try to eat at least a...

About six pm on Saturday evening, my roommate and I emerged from the second floor of our Reid complex. We had not known each other for six hours as we clinked our wine glasses in her room and made our way to the kitchen. An onslaught of small talk hit us. Answering the same three questions on repeat. At this point, if this interaction is not as drilled into you as  ‘Don’t leave your room without your college card’ is, maybe Royal Holloway is not the place for you. I do not know about you, but I answer these questions like no one has ever asked me a question before. I grin uncontrollably, mimicking the Joker as I shout ‘Reid Halls’ five times over the music. I roll my eyes internally at my stupid level of enthusiasm. The interrogator nods politely feigns intrigue and forgets the answer to...

Welcome, University Newbies! Making your way to Uni can be a daunting experience, but do not let that force you into hiding, questioning whether you should have repeated A-levels. University is one of life’s opportunities I can guarantee you will not regret (apart from the all-nighters that will happen on many a shameful occasion). As a student going into the third year, I felt it necessary to share my Fresher experience, so here it is: I sucked at being a fresher. I, instead, found myself becoming a fresher later in my degree rather than at the only acceptable time you are ‘allowed’ to act like you have no idea what’s going on (in truth, no-one ever really knows what is going on at Uni). The only activities I found myself engaging with were the compulsory academic start-ups and book sale...

With Freshers' week only a few weeks away, Ellie Darwood remembers facing the dreaded Freshers' flu. "I’ll be fine. I don’t get ill” - A statement that I found myself repeatedly saying throughout the duration of my first year at university. And was I right? Well, not exactly. All Freshers' (and returning students) are aware of the omnipotence of the dreaded Freshers' flu and the possibility of being bed-bound for the most jam-packed, fun-filled first weeks of university. The constant hubbub surrounding the inevitability of catching the most horrific illness known to party goers consumed my thoughts for not only the first weeks of university but also the week leading to its commencement. I arrived at university equipped with stashes of tissues, gallons of hand sanitiser and enough multiv...