What happens during Welcome Week (Freshers’ Week)?
Welcome Week is a really exciting time at university; the new year’s intake has just arrived, our second- and third-year students are back and there is plenty going on. It’s a chance for students to meet the new people they’re going to live or study alongside, really find out what university has to offer, and it’s also a great opportunity to build up some confidence in a new environment and adjust to living away from home.
This year’s Welcome Week is from Sunday 22nd September until Friday 27th September 2019. Starting off with ‘Move in Sunday’, we will be welcoming all our students to their accommodation and the start of their university experience. The week’s activities will vary depending on your course, but typically you will have introductory lectures, meet fellow students, attend the Freshers’ Fair (make sure you pick up all the freebees), along with having the opportunity to attend lots of other events around campus.
To find out more about what’s going on, you can join our Facebook Welcome Week Group.
I don’t feel prepared for moving… What should I bring to accommodation? I don’t know much about the city!
Try not to worry! Moving away from home is a big step for anyone, even if it is a city that you know really well. It’s perfectly normal to feel nervous, but remember that a lot of people around you at university will be in exactly the same position.
You’ll find very quickly that you will explore the city with your hall mates, people you meet in lectures and that friendly guy or girl you met in the queue to the Freshers’ Fair.
In terms of what to bring to university accommodation, it varies depending on which accommodation you’ve been allocated (self-catered, full-board, and so on). Our recent blog post ‘Home Away From Home’ will give you a few tips on decorating your halls and making it feel a bit more like home in the first few weeks of settling in. The Student Room have also made a really handy ‘What to take to university 2019 checklist’.
I have university accommodation; can I park my car on Campus?
Unfortunately, due to restrictions on parking spaces we’re unable to extend parking facilities to students living on, or close to, the University, except in the case of extenuating circumstances. We’re very lucky though in that the majority of our accommodation is in or around the Parkgate Road Campus, which is a short walk from the centre of Chester.
We also do allow car parking at the beginning of term and end of term for the purpose of delivering/collecting personal belongings. If you have any queries about this, please contact The Estates and Facilities Department at parking@chester.ac.uk
What kind of student support is there?
We’re committed to supporting your development throughout your academic journey and offer a range of support tailored to you, from help and advice on financial issues to study skills support. Student Futures Support has offices on both the Chester and Warrington campuses so we’re on hand to offer information, advice and guidance to all our students.
We also have a Wellbeing and Mental Health team that spans across all our campuses ensuring that students get the most out of their university experience and feel safe and at home in Chester. The team provide students with practical information, support and guidance about any issues that may be affecting their experience.
I don’t drink and I’m worried about making friends…
University has always had a reputation for drinking, whether it’s stories you’ve heard or what you’ve seen on TV. But once you’re at university, you will find that there are actually quite a few people who don’t drink. Whether it’s for religious reasons, medical reasons, or just because they don’t enjoy it, there will be others in the same boat as you.
There are lots of different activities you can get involved with at university that don’t involve drinking, such as our Sports and Societies that have a little something for everyone (from American Football and Fencing, to Disney and a Dog Walkers society).
So, try not to worry if you don’t drink, people will be respectful of your choices and there’s plenty of opportunities to make friends that don’t involve drinking.
What kind of part-time job opportunities are available while studying?
There is plenty of part-time work opportunities that are flexible around your studies. We have a range of vacancies with local and national employers through our central online CareerHub access point, as well as offering an on-campus job bank ran by the Careers and Employability team at Chester. You can read more about job opportunities here.
If you’re interested in building up your CV, there is a range of extracurricular activities you can take part in, from volunteering to our Ambassador schemes:
These are some of the most common questions that we’re asked on The Student Room, but if you feel as though you have some unanswered questions or want us to expand on anything, why not head over to our forum on The Student Room!
