From overbuying things at Ikea to stalking the new roommates on social media
This summer, as my final year at the University of York approaches, I find myself reminiscing about the scary but exciting summer before starting university. I am so jealous of all the freshers who get their A-level results and still have so much to do (god I sound old, when did that happen?)
There are at least 5 things every prospective student experiences in the summer before starting college and it’s a real rite of passage at this point. Don’t stress x
1. The big Ikea trip
At the end of August, Ikea comes alive as 18-year-olds and their stressed-out parents tirelessly cram as much stuff as possible into a shopping cart to take to college. In reality, you’ll only actually use 10 percent of the stuff in the cart, because let’s be honest: what freshman has ever used a lemon squeezer?
However, once you step foot in the door of kit furniture heaven, the parents suddenly turn into Bear Grylls and see this as a mission to equip you for survival. To be fair, the first year is a lot like Bear Grylls The Island, in that strangers are forced to live together, no one has any money, no one knows how to cook, and at least two people will be sleeping together (this is inevitable, don’t fight it too much). Might as well be Love Island, to be honest.
After the most exhausting shopping spree of your life, you’ll sit down for some victory meatballs. Personally, I felt like an interior designer with big dreams of truly customizing my room, but in reality, I was just any normal girl with fake plants, fairy lights, and a dream.
2. The TikTok Deep Dive
The summer before uni I couldn’t help but constantly search for TikToks from York students to get a feel for uni life. I wanted to see how much fun it was to live in halls of residence and if the nightlife was good. It was also really helpful to differentiate the vibe of the different colleges as the most entertaining ones tended to have the most fun. I would like to thank all the students before me (especially those in Langwith) who made fools of themselves on the internet to reassure me that uni is actually going to be pretty fun. Our TikTok is great for getting a deep dive into student culture, uni life and everything that’s popular here at York. If you see us with a microphone doing interviews during Freshers’ Week please don’t be scared of us! We’re really nice, we promise x
3. Have a strange “last night” with your friends from home
This time of year, everyone is sentimental about leaving home and friends, and the only way to celebrate is with farewell drinks. The evening usually starts with polite conversation about everyone’s nervousness and excitement about the big move, but soon the evening dissolves into a state where you’re extremely drunk, confessing your love to everyone, and planning trips for them that you realistically won’t get to until your second year. Just remember that the next time you go out, you might have made your first friends of uni!
4. Join large Facebook group chats or Unify
I was embarrassingly eager and joined every group chat imaginable before freshman year. It was tragic how desperate I was to make some good friends before moving to college. However, there can be a lot of comfort in talking to people who are in the same situation as you and finding people who are similar to you. I never spoke to most of the people I spoke to again, but if you’re reading this, I hope you’re having the time of your life.
However, it was also really helpful in finding roommates when the apartment assignments were released. Of course, I, the eager little idiot that I am, was the one who created the first group chat for our apartment. At this point, I was collecting roommates like football stickers. My advice would be that putting yourself out there is great, but maybe you should try to be a little cooler than me.
5. Stalk your roommate’s social media accounts
Once the apartment group chat is set up, you can finally get a sneak peek at what kind of people you’ll be living with. I’ve really enjoyed gauging the vibe of my roommates and starting conversations about similar interests. I started a very awkward conversation with one girl about Harry Styles, but now she’s one of my closest friends. She constantly bullies me about it, but I’m very glad I broke the ice.
I must say though, first impressions on social media never truly reflect the person you’ll end up living with, so go into it with an open mind and an approachable attitude and you’ll have a great time.
Good luck to anyone planning to come to York in September. You will have a great time and find your people. Enjoy every moment because it will fly by.
Related articles recommended by this author:
•A letter to York freshmen, third year: How to make the most of your time at university
•Inside Uni of York’s Colleges: We asked you for your honest opinion on freshers’ accommodation.
•The most popular city in the UK: Here are eight things York students love about their city
