Posts about student life at the University of Bristol
You will have so many opportunities to immerse yourself in different cultures and groups whilst at Bristol. After all, you’re joining a community of nearly 25,000 students, so do give yourself time to explore what makes you feel happy and settled and give things a go!
Andre joined us from Indonesia in 2018 to study a MSc in Education (Learning, Technology & Society). Here he shares his experience as an international student and his thoughts about building your community:
Congratulations on securing your place at the University of Bristol. The countdown is now on until you join us! We’re really looking forward to welcoming you very soon.
No doubt you’re full of questions as you start out on this new, exciting chapter. Well, you’re in the right place. This is the first of a series of weekly blog posts to help answer some of the questions you may have about preparing for your arrival in September and beyond.
Current third year students, Rosie and Kaylan, share their tips on where to find further information.
For really useful checklists on what to do next and what to do when you arrive, check out the new student webpages. If you’re an international student, take a look at our information for new international students which includes an international student handbook.
Undergraduates – look out for your Welcome pack in the post, similar to the one above. Postgraduate students – you’ll receive your welcome guide on arrival, either a printed version or via an online link provided by your Faculty. You can also expect to receive an email or two from us in the next few weeks updating you on all the important things to remember.
You may have already joined the Official Bristol University Freshers 2019 Facebook group. We’ve joined forces with Bristol Students’ Union to host this group so it’s definitely worth joining to find out about the big events taking place and start meeting people. Watch out for unofficial Facebook groups and events set up by external organisations. Bristol SU is the only ticket seller for the official Welcome Week programme. You can find out more about this here.
Many students choose to get involved with our Peer mentoring scheme. A peer mentor is a current student usually studying a similar subject to you, who can help you to settle in to University. You can ask them any questions you may have about your course or about university life in general.
Don’t forget that all new students are in exactly the same boat as you are, so asking questions and making links with fellow new students, may help to calm those nerves.
Welcome Week will be taking place from 23 – 27 September and we’d encourage you to get involved in as many activities and events as possible. It’s a great way to start finding your way around campus, meet new people and settle into your new home and the vibrant city of Bristol. You’ll see lots more about Welcome Week in the coming weeks including the University Welcome Ceremony, held in the iconic Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building. The University will welcome you more formally and introduce you to what it really means to be a student here.
Recent graduate Cameron (Politics and International Relations, 2019) will be sharing how he felt about moving into Halls plus more around accommodation.
Hi, I’m Em!
I’m a seasoned Bristolian, so despite the fact that I have only just finished my first year at Bristol, I have a lot of Bristol experience to share with you to make sure you get the best experience in Bristol as you possibly can.
I just finished my first year studying Philosophy but I’m changing my degree and now I’m going into my first year studying Religion and Theology.
I’ve lived in Bristol for 19 years and am still not tired of it.
Today I’m going to share with you my Welcome Week experience.
University and clubbing are synonymous with each other, this might mean that you have to go out of your comfort zone but that’s okay! Hundreds of other people will be doing exactly the same thing. Last year, I mainly went to venues like Thekla and The Lanes. However, there’s loads of information online regarding the theme of each night so make sure that you have a look! I didn’t go out loads, and I still met some great friends.
I went to loads of events last year that don’t involve drink. For example, I went on a coffee shop crawl where instead of drinking beer, you drink coffee! There’s also loads of amazing food in Bristol, as a vegan I never struggle to find options which is obviously a plus. If you are unsure about what you can do, check out the SU’s guide to alternative and non-drinking events.
For me, as a Bristolian, the welcome ceremony was very special. I never thought that I would get into a Russell Group uni. In fact, I went to a below average secondary school/ sixth form combined and had my prom at the Marriot at the bottom of Park Street so, to be at this grand ceremony at the top of the big hill was very symbolic for me. I had to climb and fight to get into Bristol, just like you will need to climb and fight from getting to the bottom of Park Street to the top!
People always say that Welcome Week is your chance to really get involved, and that was a scary prospect for me. I suffer with a few different mental health difficulties so being a social butterfly is not second nature for me. But, your first week does not discriminate, there will be many other anxious people there and there will many people who want to say hello to you.
My one piece of advice is to be the person you want to be friends with. Also, don’t stress about making friends, it will happen but to be honest, the friends you make in Welcome Week might not be your uni-long best friends. So just relax and have a great week!
You’ve got six sets of Wilkinson’s basics coasters…but no shower gel. A suitcase of fancy dress options and only one extension cord. Moving into halls is an exciting time, so if you’re starting to think about what you need to bring to University, don’t worry about forgetting something important – we’ve got you covered.
Here’s our list of things to pack:
The essentials
Getting around
Ready to study
Your new community
A home away from home
Need something else?
There are plenty of shops nearby where you can pick up anything else that you need – including The Basket, found on the ground floor of the Students’ Union. You can also order moving-in packs for the kitchen, bathroom, or cleaning supplies.
Why not get a plant or poster to brighten up your room and make it your own? Share a photo of your space with us using #FindYourBristol and let us know the one thing that you’re not leaving home without.
