Freshers week is great. Like really, really great- I promise.

Like any other student, you get to meet your flatmates, take advantage of all the fab activities and free food during the day, head out for all the big nights, and cope with all the mornings after. However, as a medic you also get dropped in at the deep end with introductions, 9am lectures, vaccinations, icebreakers and a lot of scary stuff like ‘expectations’ and ‘responsibilities’. Don’t let any of this worry you though, you’ll be a pro multitasker in no time!

Freshers, like uni, is a time to work things out for yourself; to make mistakes and learn how to fix them. Bearing that in mind, here are a few of my tips on surviving:

Go to lectures. You may be told they’re not important, but it’s a good exercise in making yourself get into uni and take notes when all you want to do is lie in bed all day. This feeling will never go away.

Go out and have fun! Whether it’s a club night or a big quiz, you only get one Freshers, and sleep is for the weak (not really- but that’s what Saturdays were made for!)

Eat. And I don’t mean pot noodles. Cook yourself pasta and curry and eat vegetables every now and then. You’ll feel so much better.

Make lots of friends, but not your BFFs. Later on, you’ll find the people that will hold your hand at the dentist and bring you Lemsip when you’re poorly. For now, you need people to eat lunch with.

Try new things. Go along to sports tasters and society meet ups. In Fresher’s week I went to the Rifle club BBQ for the free food. This Spring I won 3 national BUCS medals!

Call your family once a week or so (you’ll be having too much fun to call every day!) My mum always knows I’m ok by checking up on my Instagram.

For more information about Newcastle University’s Freshers’ Week go to: http://nusufreshers.co.uk/

Blog by Ella Cooper, Medical Student.