The run up to stepping foot on campus for the first time was expectedly daunting, after all, it’s rational to have a fear of the unknown. I remember being greeted at halls by a friendly face who was there, along with many others, to help the new students move into their new accommodation and ease us into this new era in our lives. In each room was a kind of ‘welcome kit’, filled with everything we needed to orient ourselves in those first two weeks, a complete tool kit to beginning our lives at Bucks.
Following the guides, and with the help of the ‘Freshers Helpers’ (second- and third-year students), the first two weeks introduced us to our lecturers, course mates, the town, the societies, and of course the night life. A process that seemed daunting at first proved to be easy and well worth the initial stress. The first year at the university was, of course, full of nights out and early starts. The range of events put on by the university, student’s union, and the societies provided constant opportunities to grow and transform us academically and socially. By the end of the first year I not only had an incredible group of new friends, but I had gained a whole new attitude towards education and welcome appreciation of what I was capable of achieve.
-Alan McDonald