In order to enjoy Freshers’ week fully, and be ready for lectures to start, follow our five tips.

Healthy Freshers Tips image
Follow these tips to stay happy and healthy at the start of University

Freshers’ week can be a bit of a shock, whether you’re diving in to the club nights, or taking a more reserved approach to the University semester starting.

Leaving home, meeting new people, and having greater independence can be overwhelming, and it is common for students’ health to decline.

Here are five tips for staying healthy this Freshers’ week, to make the most of it and feel ready for course at the end:

  • If drinking, give your body a fighting chance at recovering.

Ideally, drinking in moderation limits damage, but to reduce dehydration and the ensuing hangover, eat carbohydrates and/or fats both before and after a night out to limit alcohol absorption, and drink several pints of water to compensate for fluid loss.

  • You can’t eat Dominos forever.

Drinking alcohol, altering your sleep/activity pattern, and a few meals with your flatmates can leave you in need of nutrition. Try to eat more protein (including eggs, dairy, lentils, and beans, as well as meat/ fish) than carbohydrates, aim for 5-9 portions of fruits and vegetables a day (check out the fruit and veg stand on Frenchay Campus!), and stay hydrated with 6-8 glasses of water a day.

  • It is critical to get sleep.

Most adults need 6-9 hours of sleep each night. This can be difficult during Freshers’ week, with a busy schedule of Students’ Union events, and a new city to explore, but take time to catch up before the new academic year. Psychological tiredness can be caused by emotional stress such as anxiety, so be sure to take time to chat to fellow classmates about course anxieties, keep in touch with family, and try societies and sports to make new friends.

  • When feeling amorous, play it safe.

Be responsible for your sexual health by keeping a condom/dental dam in your purse or wallet to reduce the risk of contracting STIs. From the commonly known, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea, to pubic lice and scabies, there is risk of annoying symptoms such as itching and burning, to more serious symptoms such as infertility or lifelong immune dysfunction, depending on the infection.

  • Do what is right for you to feel comfortable at University.

Your mental health can be affected by starting University, and it is important to notice any significant or unexpected mood changes, or alterations in thought patterns. It is normal to be excited, nervous, doubtful, or even bouncing off the walls at the start of university, but if your thoughts and feelings are compromising your daily activities, it is important to seek help via your GP, the University’s Mental Health services, or even through talking with friends.

Enjoy the start of the academic year!


By Sophie Evans