Over 3,000 new students will arrive at the University of Bath for a Freshers’ Week full of activities and events designed to help them settle into campus and city life (Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October).
The Students’ Union has organised a busy social timetable to help the freshers find their feet before the start of their first academic semester on Monday 5 October.
As well as party nights and barbeques, this year’s event has a strong international flavour, with global language cafés and welcome events designed to help the 900 undergraduate and postgraduate students from abroad to mix with home students.
A sports day (Wednesday 30 September) will give students the chance to try out some of the sports on offer at Bath, and all the clubs and societies in the Students’ Union will be entering the spirit of Carnival Day (Thursday 1 October), with street acts and stalls showcasing their activities.
Students can record a radio show or try out the television studio at Arts & Media day (Saturday 3 October) or have a go at photography or pottery.
They can get help to navigate their new campus surroundings from crews of students already studying at Bath and join them on organised tours to the city centre and to explore the surrounding countryside. There will also be visits to the Roman Baths and the American Museum.
To get a taste of the volunteering opportunities at the University students can walk a dog from the Bath Cats & Dogs home.
The Commercial Fair (Friday 2 October) will feature over 60 stalls from national and local companies, charities and other organisations providing services and information that freshers might need. The students will be able to bag freebies, book in for a free haircut at the fair, plus enjoy fairy cakes and cooking tips from Bath’s Mothers’ Union.
The University’s own student services will be at the fair, plus local health and safety organisations including the fire service; the environmental health unit from Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council to give information and advice about noise levels; NHS Stop Smoking; B&NES waste services to discuss recycling; and Heart FM’s Community Safety unit.
Ian Robinson, Chief Executive of the Students’ Union, said: “Freshers’ Week is all about helping students to make friends and get settled into their new home as quickly as possible. For many students this is their first time living away from their family so we want them to feel part of the campus and Bath community as quickly as possible, as well as get a taste of what their new home has to offer.”
For more information about events during Freshers’ Week please visit the freshers’ website.