Written by JC Li, Second-year History
Phase One:
You go to the Welcome Fair and get bombarded by people left and right attempting to lure you into their strange and wonderful societies. You get flooded by well-rehearsed sales pitches, colourful posters, flyers, and freebies designed to entice helpless freshers like you. The sheer number and variety of clubs and societies available at UCL is honestly jaw-dropping. From Karate to KPOP, over 400 societies at the Union help bring together students with common interests.
Phase Two:
Within the first week, probably in a moment of panic and excitement, you hurriedly join way too many societies. Perhaps you’ve been enticed by those freebies at the Welcome Fair, or maybe you’re eager to make new friends. Guitar society? It’s never too late to pick up that instrument you couldn’t be bothered to learn at school. Societies are the easiest and best way to try out new things. Like online shopping, joining societies quickly becomes a bit of an addiction as you fall further and further into the rabbit hole of niche and obscure hobbies...
Phase Three:
Your first taste of London's vibrant nightlife will likely come through the Welcome social events. You might have bought one of those "Nightlife Wristbands", ready for non-stop socialising every day of your first week at university. By now, you may have already met some friendly faces from new societies, and these events offer a great opportunity to see your fellow students in an informal setting.
However, brace yourself for an endless loop of conversations that often kick off with the classic: 'Hi, my name is X and I study Y.' Spoiler alert: you probably won't remember most of the people you meet during these events. But don't worry - everyone is in the same boat. We're all new, eager to make friends, and navigating this new chapter together.
While nights out can be a blast, they're certainly not the only way to dive into student life at UCL. If clubbing isn't your vibe, here are a few alternatives to consider:
Head to a society social
Many societies host their own, often more casual, social gatherings. These are brilliant for connecting with people who share your specific interests, leading to friendships that will last a lot longer than just Welcome Week. Keep an eye on your society's social media or email updates for details.
Hang out at the pub
London is brimming with pubs that host weekly quiz nights, open mic sessions, or just offer a relaxed atmosphere for you to enjoy a pint and chat to your mates. It's a great way to bond without the pressure of a huge party. Not sure where to start? Why not pop into one of the Union bars that are dotted around campus.
Explore London
The great thing about living in London is it's basically impossible to run out of things to do. Get a small group together, pick an area, and make the most of all the incredible attractions the capital has to offer. And, if you don't want the pressure of organising a day out, you can always check out the Union's Discover London events.
Don't pressure yourself!
The fact of the matter is that you probably won’t find lifelong friends during Welcome Week, nor will you find a new passion for knitting or origami (yes, those are real societies). Too many people tend to romanticise Welcome Week as an essential part of the university experience, though of course, it isn’t. Perhaps you’ve heard stories of people finding soulmates or long-term partners during their first week of uni, but the reality is that it takes longer to find people you truly click with. Making friends is not limited to Freshers' - that’s not the point; the point of Welcome Week is to open yourself to new experiences and new crowds. Welcome Week is there to help you settle down in your new home and help you figure out what you like and don’t like. Your days being stuck in a small secondary school are over; you’re now in a university with over 43,000 students in a city with 9 million inhabitants - so get exposed to new things and you might just surprise yourself!