Head of Comment and Features, Lily Gershon, turns to Roar’s readers to relive the highs, lows, and questionable life choices of Freshers’ Week.
From wild, blackout nights out at Guy’s Bar to stumbling into the Maughan still reeling from the night before, Freshers’ Week is undeniably a rite of passage for every King’s College London student. As the whirlwind of parties dies down and the formidable “what course are you studying?” fades away, we’ve asked King’s students to share the unforgettable highs and awkward lows that shaped their first week on campus.
University offers a full education: academically, personally, and, for better or worse, often in a drinking culture. Games of ring of fire at pres with new flatmates are a classic rite of passage. Still, for one poor fresher, the lesson became a cautionary tale: “I’d gone out with my friends to Ministry, and drunk far too much on the tube”, the student sheepishly explains, “a classic case of wanting to enjoy myself and not knowing my limits.” He did not make it past the bouncers and was unceremoniously “thrown into an Uber by a friend” and sent back to their accommodation.
From here, things get hazy: “My next memory was being chucked out of my Uber a mile away from my accommodation, getting out in a daze, and then being hit by a car!” The next morning, they woke up “with bruises all over my arms, but no recollection of how I got back… or any events after I was hit.” If they could pass on one tip to prevent a repeat performance, it would be: “If you are going back to your accommodation (especially whilst drunk), bring a friend with you.” The night left them off alcohol for months and off clubbing for even longer. Nevertheless, they were quick to reassure that “in terms of nights out, it doesn’t get much worse than that.” Their advice for this year’s cohort goes beyond drinking tips, however: “Don’t have a timeline. Some will find their feet, their friends, understand their course in the first few weeks… but don’t try to compare your experience to anyone else’s. I’ve enjoyed each uni year more than the last, so just keep at it!”
One fresher’s most mortifying moment came neither in a club nor on a night out, but in the hallowed silence of their very first European Law lecture. Without warning (and for reasons still unknown), their safety alarm went off, slicing through the hushed hall like a fire drill from hell. “Do not ask how, it just did,” they said, still baffled. The poor lecturer, mid-sentence, was interrupted by the shrill siren. Thankfully, the Advocate General for Italy at the CJEU took it in his stride, quipping: “That’s exactly how I feel being in this field!” When asked whether this experience had any long-lasting consequences, they recounted how the room dissolved into laughter, and the fresher learned their first (and possibly most important) university lesson: accidents happen, but a quick, sincere apology goes a long way.
Looking back, they insist there was no way to prevent such an embarrassing moment, but if it happens to you, own it. As they discovered in their first week, sometimes the most memorable lessons come from the moments you least expect. Telling Roar their advice for the next wave of freshers, they encourage you to “take your passions (almost) as seriously as you do your studies” —“almost” being key. University isn’t just about lectures; it’s also about building a new version of yourself, which they warn can be the bigger challenge, especially if you’re far from home. Allocate time to study and to rest, they urge, with more time spent resting than studying.
The fated myth of the long-distance relationship haunts many freshers before they’ve even unpacked their duvets. While some spend their first weeks basking in the thrill of freedom away from home, others face the harsher reality of the dreaded breakup. For one heartbroken fresher, the aftermath meant weekends spent in a blur of obsessive cleaning and endless laundry, anything to avoid sitting alone with the silence. “I think I was trying to wash my feelings along with the bedsheets,” they admitted.
Eventually, they traded bleach for a pair of running shoes, signing up for a half-marathon, joining a bunch of societies, and forcing themselves to step outside their comfort zone. In hindsight, they wish someone had told them to join a sports team and a choir from day one—ready-made communities that might have saved them from many solitary Saturday afternoons. What they learned along the way is resonant: “London can be lonely, but you’re stronger than you think.” Every student has had a low moment like this. But, just like this fresher, you’ll stumble across your crowd and make the most of your years here.
Some freshers start their uni experience with a few awkward icebreakers. Others, like this unlucky KCL newcomer, kicked things off with “a catastrophic rainstorm.” The student remembers how, within the first 48 hours of arriving in London, they were drenched en route to a night out with their new flatmate. Seeking refuge, they ended up in the loos of the tiny Simmons on the Strand just as it was closing. “Thankfully, they gave us enough grace to shelter for a few minutes while the rain cleared up,” this ex-fresher recalled. Coat and shirt hung on the cubicle doors, their shoes and jeans were subjected to an awkward hand-dryer rescue mission.
Then, in the plot twist to end all plot twists: “a man snuck into the closed venue and stole my phone and ID,” says the student. The rest of Freshers’ Week was spent surviving with “cash, [their] passport, and handwritten transport instructions from [their] flatmates.” When asked what they did about it? “Cry.” What do they wish someone had told them to prevent such a debacle? “That the London phone thief memes are no joke.” What did they learn? “To never try and dry my socks in public again.” Their advice to this year’s cohort is short and sweet: “Don’t go on a night out during a rainstorm.”
Freshers’ Week is a pivotal rite of passage where students leap from teenage life to the semi-adult chaos of university. It’s a whirlwind of euphoric highs and toe-curling lows, where the limits of human functioning are pushed to their edges, and in the midst of which unlikely friendships are forged. The stories gathered here capture the universal mix of awkwardness and amusement that comes with starting this new chapter—a true celebration of the messy, glorious spirit of student life. From everyone at Roar, we hope you enjoy your Freshers’ Week and embrace the mishaps as much as the milestones. Laugh at the blunders, make friends in unexpected places, and remember: the best stories often come from the moments that didn’t go to plan.
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