Freshers' Week can feel like a total whirlwind...meeting, nights out, taster sessions, formal ceremonies, dinners, movie nights, Freshers' Fair, parenting dinner...the list goes on.
There's barely a minute to draw breath which means when it comes to an end, the reality of now starting your term at Oxford may begin to sink in.
Some of you will have loved Freshers', others may have found it a bit overwhelming and the reality is, some of you may have wanted to escape back home. Now let me tell you, I had friends who fell into every single one of these categories but as the term progressed, everyone began to feel more settled and by the time the vac arrived, we were all super sad to be saying goodbye.
Freshers' Week is manic for a reason - Oxford know moving away from home is a big step and by keeping you busy, they try to make the adjustment as smooth as possible. Yet this isn't to say Freshers' is a fair reflection of what the next term will be like - you'll have much more control over how you spend your time, what activities you take part in and how much you choose to socialise. So if freshers' hasn't been for you, then please don't take it as a true reflection of Oxford life.
For me, as the week came to an end all of my anxieties about the next step grew; would I cope with the work? Would I feel homesick? Would I manage to balance all of my commitments?
All of these concerns are totally normal and though I didn't realise it at the time, my peers were feeling the same. You're all experiencing this rollercoaster for the first time - no one has yet sat in an Oxford tutorial, no one has had to deal with juggling all their new commitments and most students have never lived away from home. You're all in this together!
If at any point it does all get to much, make sure you speak to someone - a friend, someone in an older year, the student welfare team, the staff welfare team or your tutor - whoever it is you feel most comfortable with. There are so many support networks available at Oxford to help YOU!
I'm wishing you all the best of luck with this term and do feel free to get in touch with any questions!