Hundreds of thousands of students are preparing to start university in the coming weeks, and four first-years asked by BBC News say small, practical steps helped them settle in faster than they expected.
The students — Edith Adam at the University of Liverpool, mechanical engineering student Konstantin Schmidt at the University of Greenwich, commuter student Rebecca at Edinburgh Napier, and Durham undergraduate Tian Liu — offered straightforward advice on everything from saying hello to new people, joining societies and sharing flat chores, to planning commutes and protecting mental health.
Edith Adam, who moved to Liverpool to study medicine, said the biggest surprise was how nervous other new students were. "I was absolutely terrified about not being able to make friends or that people wouldn't like me," she said, adding that a simple greeting helped break the ice: "They appreciate it when you go up to them and say hi."
Adam, 24, also warned against assuming freshers' week is the main gateway to lifelong friendships. She said many students feel pressured to drink or club every night, but that there are plenty of ways to meet people who do not centre social life on late nights. Her practical household tip: "If it takes less than two minutes, just do it," referring to small chores such as washing up to avoid tension with flatmates.
Konstantin Schmidt, 21, said delays to his visa left him five weeks behind other students at Greenwich but he still settled in quickly by joining societies. "Societies are the best way to find people who share the same passion," he said. He joined a volleyball society and a Formula One group and said members immediately included him on arrival.
Shared meals also helped build connections, Schmidt said. The Bavarian student prepared Spätzle for a flat dinner and said food and music were ways the group explored each other's cultures and bonded.
Rebecca, who commutes more than an hour each way between Glasgow and Edinburgh for a business management course, urged new students who will live at home to prepare for the practicalities of travel. She applied through clearing to Edinburgh Napier and started university when she was 16. She recalled an early-year disruption when cancelled trains forced her to pay for a taxi to reach campus.
"Make sure your bag is fully packed with everything you might need — and plan your commute," Rebecca said. Now 17 and heading into her second year, she said being younger than many classmates did not prevent her from joining under-18 events and making friends. Her main message was simple: "Don't be afraid to ask for help."
Tian Liu, 19, who moved from Leeds to Durham as the first in her family to attend university, described the transition as a "roller coaster". Despite extensive research before enrolling, she said she at times felt unprepared and nearly dropped out but later found a better balance.
She warned against overextending and urged incoming students to protect their mental health. "With tuition fees rising there is such a pressure to make the most out of it, but you can burn out," she said, advising students to use university pastoral teams and rely on close friends for support and accountability. Liu is now completing a summer internship in New York secured through her university and encouraged new students not to underestimate themselves: "Don't disqualify yourself from anything. Be your biggest cheerleader. And take so many photos."
The students' experiences underline recurring themes: many peers are anxious, societies and shared activities can accelerate friendships, clear communication and small household habits reduce conflict, and practical planning matters for commuters. They also stress institutional support for mental health and the value of not letting a single week — such as freshers' week — determine how the whole university experience will unfold.
As freshers arrive on campuses across the country, the students' combined advice offers actionable steps for newcomers: be proactive in saying hello, join groups that match interests, keep shared spaces tidy, plan travel if commuting, and seek support early if overwhelmed. Those measures, they say, can make the first year less daunting and more rewarding.