So, you’ve moved to Cardiff. You’ve barely unpacked, your kitchen is already suspiciously full of someone else’s plates, and you’ve somehow agreed to go on a night out with people whose names you can’t really remember.
Welcome to university.
Freshers can feel like a lot. Everyone seems to know where they’re going, who they’re going with and what they’re doing. But once you get past the initial chaos, Cardiff is a pretty brilliant place to find your feet.
From surviving halls to finding your favourite Cardiff spots, here’s what I wish someone had told me before starting uni.
First things first: prepare for the Welsh weather
You can spend weeks thinking about what to pack for university and still forget something genuinely important. My advice? Don’t overthink it.
You’ll need the obvious stuff: bedding, towels, toiletries and enough kitchen equipment to make something slightly more ambitious than beans on toast. An extension lead is also worth bringing because there will never be enough plug sockets exactly where you want them.
But my most important Cardiff essential? An umbrella.
It can be sunny when you leave your halls and chucking it down by the time you reach your lecture. Cardiff weather is unpredictable at the best of times, so a decent waterproof coat is also going to get a lot of use.
And don’t worry about making your room Pinterest-perfect on day one. A few photos and things from home will make it feel like yours, but give yourself time.
Look out for the poster and plant sales at the Students’ Union or have a wander around Cardiff Market for a few little bits to make the place your own. It’ll start to feel like home naturally.
Get out of your room
It’s easy to get stuck in a little halls bubble during your first few weeks, especially when everything outside your front door still feels unfamiliar.
But getting out and exploring Cardiff is one of the quickest ways to start feeling settled.
Luckily, Cardiff is small enough that you don’t need much of a plan. Take a walk through Bute Park, get lost in the city’s arcades, grab a coffee or just head into town with your new flatmates.
Even getting to know the streets around you can make the city feel a little more like yours.
Master the Cardiff night out
Eventually, you’ll have to master the Cardiff night out.
Maybe that means Y Plas, maybe it’s St Mary Street, or maybe you’re more likely to end up on Womanby Street.
You’ll probably find yourself at one of Cardiff Uni’s famous YOLO nights, while places like Circuit, Live Lounge and Kings are likely to become familiar names during Freshers.
But if mainstream student clubbing isn’t really your thing, Cardiff has a brilliant grassroots music scene to get stuck into.
Womanby Street is a particularly good place to start, with venues including Clwb Ifor Bach, Porters and Fuel hosting everything from indie and punk to rock, metal and electronic nights.
You don’t even need to know the bands playing. Some of the best nights can come from seeing an artist you’ve never heard of and discovering a new favourite.
Whatever your scene, have a vague idea of how you’re getting home before you head out, keep your phone charged and stick with your friends.
Also, maybe don’t rely entirely on the person who says they “definitely know where we are” despite having arrived in Cardiff last Tuesday.
And remember, you don’t have to go out every night. There will always be another club night, another gig and another opportunity to go out.
Save your money where you can
This one might be slightly painful to hear after you’ve just received your first student loan, but please don’t spend it all during Freshers.
It is surprisingly easy to convince yourself that £20 here and £15 there doesn’t matter. Then suddenly you’re checking your bank account and wondering how you managed to spend £300 in four days.
One thing I’d personally think twice about is the Freshers wristband.
They’re heavily advertised and can seem like the obvious thing to buy when everyone else is talking about them, but they can be expensive if you’re not actually going to all the events included.
Have a look at what you genuinely want to go to before handing over your money. You don’t need a wristband to have a good Freshers.
Say yes, but know when to say no
Freshers is one of those rare times when almost everyone around you is actively looking to make friends, so take advantage of it.
Go to the society fair. Talk to someone in your lecture. Say yes when your flatmates ask if you want to get food. Go to that event you’re not completely sure about.
But don’t feel like you have to say yes to everything.
If you don’t want to drink, don’t drink. If you’re tired, stay in. If you’ve had enough of socialising, put your pyjamas on and watch something rubbish.
There’s a weird expectation that Freshers has to be the best week of your life, but it really doesn’t. You’ve got so much time left.
And if you don’t instantly find your lifelong best friends, don’t panic. I certainly didn’t. You’re going to meet a lot of people over the next three years.
Explore Cardiff, try things you wouldn’t normally do, make friends, make mistakes and don’t take it all too seriously.
Before long, you’ll have a favourite coffee shop, a regular night out, a shortcut through town and a very strong opinion on where serves the best post-night-out food.
And that’s when you’ll realise Cardiff isn’t just where you go to university anymore. It’s home.
