Starting a new journey at a new university is as exciting as it can be daunting. I personally find that one great way to alleviate some of the stress that naturally comes with the first weeks of uni is to come prepared by joining the many induction events taking place during the first week of the semester.

Welcome Week is the perfect time to get settled into the semester and familiarise yourself with the new environment. Classes haven’t officially started, so you can dedicate some time to exploring the university and everything it has to offer. The activities organised can be informative as well as fun, they’re a great way to meet new people, and a chance to find answers to the many questions running through your head.

[1] Staying connected

Keeping up with communications from the uni during this time will allow you to stay updated on the events occurring during your first week in Glasgow. I’d recommend regularly checking your emails, as that’s where you’ll be informed about the School of Social and Political Sciences and your programme’s inductions.

In addition to this, I like to use social media so as not to miss out on any of the events organised during this week (and throughout the rest of the year). I like to follow these university Instagram accounts @uofglasgow, @glasgowunisrc, @uofgwelcome, and @uofgsps to stay updated on Welcome Week activities.

[2] Exploring the new environment

Before the start of my first semester, I had only visited Glasgow as a tourist, which I’m sure many will relate to. For some other students, the Induction Week will be the very first time they set foot on campus, or even in the city. While some confusion about how to navigate the university buildings and the West End is likely to arise, you shouldn’t worry too much about it!

Upon my arrival in September I immediately signed up on the SRC app for one of the campus tours available during Welcome Week. This was an easy way to relieve my fear of being unable to find my way around campus. Alternatively, if you happen to immediately get along with some of the students you met at the induction events, organising your own little campus tour can be great to get familiar with the new buildings and classrooms, while getting to know each other better.

[3] Discovering your course

As mentioned above, you will be notified about both general School’s inductions and programme-specific ones. As a new student, I found attending these sessions extremely helpful, as they provide you with the information necessary to navigate your degree with ease. Despite various topics (from your programme’s structure to key contacts) being covered during these events, quite some time was dedicated to answering questions, which I believe was the best aspect of these inductions.

Moreover, not only do they allow you to gain a better understanding of how your programme works and the opportunities available within the School, but they are also great times to start meeting people from your course. If your classmates are anything like mine, you’ll probably find yourself already hanging out with some of them right after these events. You guys might even check some of the other Welcome Week activities together!

[4] Finding your crowd

Once you’ve noted down the time and date of the School and your programme’s inductions, I’d start thinking about what else you’d like to do during your time away from the books.

Your university experience is so much more than just the academic side and it’s the connections you make throughout your time here that will make this journey a lot more enriching.

In my experience, one of the easiest eays to find like-minded people is to join a society or a sports club, which why the Clubs and Societies Fayre and Sports Fayre are the perfect places to find your crowd. Since these events tend to be bustling with students, I’d recommend checking out the SRC and UofG Sport’s websites to see if there’s any clubs that interest you so that you can easily aim to find these at the Fayres. Nonetheless, I’d still have a wander around the stalls if you get the chance, as there’s always a chance that something new might catch your eye.

[5] Final tips

My final tip to ensure a smooth transition into a new semester of uni life would be to approach your first week ready to take part in a variety of activities.

Welcome Week can feel quite intense as you’ll be receiving a lot of new information and might feel overwhelmed by the amount of things happening during this time. Remember, you are not expected to attend every single event. However, I’d encourage taking part of the School and your programme’s induction as they will help you start the semester on the right foot academically.

For all the other activities, I’d recommend selecting a couple that will allow you to engage with the new environment and meeting people that have similar interests as you. Back in September, I created a little schedule for this week so not to miss out on anything I wanted to explore. Plan it keeping in mind that you’ll probably want to keep some time for resting and socialising.

Enjoy your Welcome Week!

First published: 15 January 2025

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