Arrivals fortnight is a rite of passage for new students starting at university. Not all universities have two weeks but at Bournemouth University the arrivals activities are spread out over two weeks. It is an emotional time for many as you move out of home for the first time, but making the most of the first two weeks of university helps you to settle in and get an idea of what university life is like!
The first thing you’ll experience in arrivals fortnight is meeting the people you’re going to be living with. I remember how nervous the six of us in my flat were on the first day, until my parents left and my flatmate offered me wine to cheer me up! That’s an important thing to remember about freshers’: everyone is in the same boat and no one knows one another! Try and do something as a flat/house to get to know one another as you’ll be living with them for the rest of the year!
Over the two weeks there are loads of nights out arranged. Most are themed and fancy dress, and different event hosts have different nights planned. Arrivals fortnight is all about going out, getting dressed up and having fun! You’ll make memories that will last a lifetime; me and my housemates still laugh about things that went on in arrivals fortnight now! From ‘back to school’ to animal fancy dress, there are so many different themes and different parties that you’ll always have something that appeals to you over the two weeks.
But arrivals fortnight is not all about partying and drinking, it’s also important for your course. This is the first time you’ll meet people on your course (unless you have friends from home in your class) and get to know one another. It’s also when you’ll have your class enrolment and your year outlined to you. During arrivals fortnight you’ll really get to know what is expected of you over your first year, but also meet some great people who you’ll be with throughout your time at university.
Arrivals fortnight ends with the freshers’ fair, which is not one to be missed! It hosts loads of societies that are run through BU and also external companies have stalls with SO many freebies! Freshers’ fair shows off how much Bournemouth University has to offer. It’s a great way to end the arrivals fortnight before university starts properly and things start to settle down and university life becomes real. Enjoy arrivals fortnight because it’s something you’ll remember for years to come!
By Beth Cordon
