So, King’s College London’s (KCL) Freshers’ Week is just around the corner! Like most new students, you’re probably feeling excited but also overwhelmed by the amount of events available.
Add in the constant spamming of group chats with club nights, socials and the promise of “unmissable events”, and it’s easy to start wondering what’s actually worth your time (and money).
The whole of Freshers’ Week is meant to be fun, and you don’t need any extra stress about what to do to make the most of it. Truth be told, you really don’t need to go to every event that comes your way – you can choose selectively and still be the silly fresh you were hoping to be.
To make sure of that, this list will give you a clearer idea of what’s worth showing up to, what’s not, and how to make the most of your first week at uni without burning yourself out before lectures even begin.
Worth going to: Freshers’ Fair
This is probably the best Freshers’ event out there because you can see which societies are on offer and pick out the ones you want to join. They usually pick the most enthusiastic committee member to stand at the stall and bribe you to follow their social media or join their group chat in return for a prize.
So do expect to leave with two tote bags, 213 stickers, and five flyers, all never to be seen again until you move out of your first year accom. My Guy’s Bar Café mug which I won read: “Begged for as I’m a sorry loser”. It still takes pride of place on my shelf – and even doubles up as a great pen holder. Tickets to the event are free and can be booked via the KCL Students’ Union website.
Worth skipping: Buying Freshers’ wristbands
Spoiler alert: If you buy one, you definitely won’t manage to go to all of the events. Unless you have some super high immunity and thrive best after four hours of sleep.
It’s best to play it by ear and see how Freshers’ Week goes, as seven days of clubbing is a lot to commit to. For all you know, you might get freshers flu on day three and end up putting your £50 to waste.
Worth going to: Subject inductions/Meet your personal tutor
Now, I wasn’t planning on going to any of these because what could be worse than sitting in a room with a bunch of people you don’t know, and having to listen to someone ramble about your course at 9am.
However, it’s actually really worth going to because you learn so much more information about your course and get to know your new lectures a bit better. I also met so many people from my course who are now some of my closest friends so if I didn’t turn up, then I probably would never have met them!
Worth skipping: Fake events
Going to university in London and one of the largest cities in the world (no biggie), you’re bound to come across scammers trying to sell you tickets for Freshers’ events that don’t even exist. The best way to get around this is to only purchase tickets from verified and legitimate sites.
The most common sites where club tickets and Freshers’ events are sold on are Fixr, Fatsoma or the official King’s Students’ Union website.
Worth going to: Societies’ welcome events
These are the first events of the year for King’s societies, and they’re a great chance to meet the committee members behind them. They’re designed with freshers in mind, too.
The more relaxed, ice-breaker style socials help you settle in, feel welcome, and shake off the awkwardness of meeting new people.
Worth skipping: Campus tours by your student mentor
This piece of advice is twofold so do read carefully. Basically, when you sign up for a student mentor they are obliged to give you a tour of the campus when they first meet you.
The thing is, most freshers will already have had one during an open day, so it’s not really essential unless you’re keen for a refresher. That said, you’d be surprised how many people I know never actually visited the uni before applying (rookie mistake), so if you’re in that camp, definitely make the effort to go on a tour.
Worth going to: A bit of everything!
There’s no harm in broadening your horizons and trying a bit of everything. I remember back in my days as a fresher going to the most rogue combination of events ever.
One night I would be at Ministry of Sound with Charli XCX blasting in the background, and the next I would be at a quiz night trying to remember what the capital of South Africa is. If there’s ever a week that’s a chaotic mix of club nights, bingo, and quiz nights, it’s this one.
It’s the perfect time to try new things and attend events you’d probably never consider at any other time of the year.
For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The King’s Tab on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook
