Preparing for ‘Freshers' week: Part One – "Surviving the Freshers Fair"

Obviously ‘Freshers' week can be an exciting and indeed scary time, when you are in a new place with new people and no doubt you have to be more responsible not only with your workload but also with finances.

With commitments including your own welfare it is always worth starting university on the right foot – so I hope that you find the following advice on Freshers Fair (marked part one of our Freshers week coverage) useful.

What is a Freshers fair?
The Freshers fair, often located on campus in the week prior to university starting for new students is an opportunity for local businesses, employers and services to introduce themselves to the new year of students, with the hope of business. Ranging from Banks offering student accounts and credit cards to local doctors and dentists encouraging students to register for local healthcare. The Freshers fair is also an opportunity to explore the many societies and groups run by the university, which might include the sport societies or perhaps the student radio.
Armed with the following knowledge you will be ready to conquer the fair!

Get there early:
Many of the stalls within the Freshers fair will offer sweets, bag of shopping, free pens or even prize draws where you could win free alcohol or perhaps a George Foreman Grill! so its worth getting there early and checking exactly what's on offer because once its gone, its gone.

Be careful what you sign:
Although the excitement of the fair can be somewhat overwhelming keep you barriers up and think carefully before signing any agreement, especially after you have visited the student union bar! Traditionally many of the high street banks that operate stands at Freshers fairs up and down the country will offer free gifts including toasters, gift vouchers or possibly even a cash sum once you have signed up. Beware – there is most likely a catch, particularly with the latter offer of “£50 cash when you open a student account” which clandestinely glosses over the small print that the account holder must deposit £500 within their account and not touch it for 30 days.  

Read the small print:
Not only relevant to student bank accounts and credit cards where you should read the small print paying particular attention to the

- Level of APR or Interest on both the credit and debit amount
- Your overdraft limit and
- Interest amount of the overdraft

But also to the societies and groups you join…. For further unbiased financial advice click here:

Doctors/ Dentists:
You may as well get signing up to both the doctors and dentists out of the way, so should you have any medical concerns or require treatment you wont have to go back to your home town for treatment. Signing up will only takes a couple of minutes, where you will have to provide your term time address and medical details, but for your trouble you might be given a free toothbrush or apple along with details on where the surgeries are located and how to make an appointment.

Discounts:
Freshers fair is a great place to pick up posters, flyers, calendars and vouchers that can not only decorate your first year student house, but might also be used for discounts or promotions. Aside from your eligibility for discounts through the NUS scheme also look out for discounts from local clothes shops, nightclubs, bars and restaurants. Local businesses usually try to bridge a relationship with new students with the hope of securing future custom, so keep those eyes peeled!

Why the Adverts?