Settling in to university life

Each of us experiences university in our own unique way.

Our community at York is such a diverse mix of personalities and circumstances - it's no wonder we have so many stories to tell and experiences to share.

Get a better idea of what your journey at York might be like, by hearing from some of our students.

Contact us

uniofyork
Find us on Facebook
uniofyork

What to expect from Freshers' Week

Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUj3xmJdDHM on YouTube

Faye Singleton gives her insight into what Freshers Week is like at York.

Your college, department and the University of York Students’ Union (YUSU) will host a range of welcome and induction events. There will also be a Freshers' Fair, where you can find out about all the amazing societies, clubs and activities you can get involved in.

When you first come to the University, make sure to attend Welcome talks, both by the University and your department. These often offer advice and information that can help to soothe any anxieties. If you look for it, York can offer a lot of support and advice – make the most of it!

Taryn, Archaeology PhD. Read Taryn's blog post.

Support when you need it

Our support services are here if you need them and can help you get the best from your time at York. Anyone can access student support, and specialist support is available for student communities such as care leavers, students with disabilities and international students.

Esther’s story, coming to university from care on Vimeo.

The opportunities available to me as a student helped to improve and maintain my mental health. College baking sessions, wellbeing workshops (especially the one on perfectionism!), playing squash, and volunteering allowed me to meet and speak to new, like-minded people, learn positive ways of coping with stress, and just generally feel like part of a community.

Rosie, College Tutor. Read Rosie's blog post.

A welcoming campus community

All York students automatically become members of our college system. It's the heart of our inclusive campus community.

One thing that has really helped me is to create a meal plan. This does not have to be the best thing in the world; I’m not saying you need to plan out every little thing you’re going to eat. However, having a vague idea of what you’ll have for your afternoon and evening meals really does help you get organised.

Somir, BA Human Geography and Environment. Read Somir's blog post.

However hard you try, you can’t plan how your university experience will go. I came to York questioning whether I would actually make friends. I didn’t anticipate three years down the line proudly viewing some of them as family members!

Zainab, LLB Law. Read Zainab's blog post.

Shape your future

All students take part in our employability programme, York Futures. We're here to help you to understand your options, reflect on your experiences and make plans for a career where you can thrive.

I am pretty proud of the range self-led extracurricular experiences I successfully completed and continue to participate in alongside my social work degree. These experiences include personal development opportunities such as communication, team working, self-awareness, and engagement with the University community.

Renée, BA Social Work. Read Renée's blog post.

I’d not considered applying for the International Study Centre (ISC) trip to Mexico because I didn’t think I’d be able to afford it, but then I read that scholarships were available....and I’m so happy I did as I learned so much and got to experience so many wonderful things.

Keely, BA German and Spanish Language (with a year abroad). Read Keely's blog post.

The one thing which has surprised me since starting my course is how much I have matured since starting university. I have become a much more independent person and I take control of my own workload... This has been enhanced by my course and is something which has grown even further whilst undertaking a placement year.

Ellie, BA Accounting, Business Finance and Management. Read Ellie's blog post.

Societies and sports

Joining a society or a sports club is a fantastic way to meet like-minded people and make new friends. They offer a huge number of opportunities to indulge your interests, learn a new skill or try something completely new.

York has a vibrant and continuously growing African Caribbean community. The first thing I tell incoming first years is that you get out what you put in. Actively get yourself involved and you automatically open yourself up to a genuine family away from home.

Naomi, BA Politics with International Relations. Read Naomi's blog post.

University life at York is just what I hoped it would be like, with many opportunities available and a course that is really well suited to what I want to do in the future. I’ve taken part in a range of sports as well such as rugby league, karate and dodgeball which makes it a lot easier to make friends with similar interests.

Loui, BA Accounting, Business Finance and Management (With a Year in Industry)