The University of Bedfordshire flung its doors open this weekend to welcome thousands of new students to its campuses.

Now most of the moving and heavy lifting has been done, we speak with students and alumni to find out their top tips, expertise knowledge and helpful guidance for Freshers’ Week to help you make the most out of your first few weeks at university.

Rachael is a mature student in her third year of Primary Education at Bedfordshire. One of her biggest tips was to: “Stay true to yourself! Don’t feel pressured to do something that you wouldn’t be happy to do at home. And remember that everyone is in the same boat as you however confident they appear.”

Our Welcome Weekend is in full swing! A lot going on across our campuses! We'd love to welcome our new cohort of students! #Freshers #GetReady pic.twitter.com/E1zFwZV05E

— uniofbeds (@uniofbeds) September 21, 2019

For Beds SU President, Liam Bloomfield, Fresher’s Week is the most exciting time. It’s the first big event on every student’s calendar, with a packed timetable of events to suit everyone’s needs. “But this week can also be very overwhelming,” he says, so here are his 3 top tips to make it manageable and unforgettable:  

“1. Make it one of the best weeks of your life. Freshers’ is a great opportunity to make new friends and have an amazing time. The best advice I can give you is to try everything and be open to new things. My first Freshers’ was back in 2014 and I’d give anything to relive that unforgettable time.

“2. It’s okay to feel nervous. Moving away from home can be scary and the fear of the unknown is worrying. Just remember everyone will feel shy or nervous about meeting new people and trying new things. Make friends with people and share the incredible experience that is university.

“3. The Freshers’ Fair is your friend. If the evening events aren’t for you and the day time entertainment doesn’t interest you, then that’s fine. However, my biggest piece of advice is go to Freshers’ Fair (in Bedford and Luton) as this is where your SU and University will showcase everything that’s available for you in the coming year. Meet people from societies and sports teams, and get your hands on lots of freebies - who doesn’t love a freebie! Freshers’ Fair really is a one-stop shop for every student.”