I remember my first Freshers’ Fair quite fondly. I wish I could tell you that I embarked upon my first year of university with courage and excitement, but that was not the case. In truth, almost half of my university experience— like that of many other poor, unfortunate undergraduates—consisted of attending Zoom lectures, staring at the same four walls, and going to the occasional socially-distanced course meeting.
After witnessing our beautiful campus slowly coming back to life, it felt surreal to attend the Freshers’ Fair during Orientation Week of my second year at Trinity. Of course, at the time, it was called ‘Refreshers’ Fair’; both a fun play of words and a way to give myself and my peers a chance to experience what we missed out on during our first year. Naturally, in all the excitement that was taking place, it was very easy to get carried away. I ended up signing up for seven societies and only went to two of said societies’ events.
“With over 120 societies to choose from, it can be tough to narrow down these options to a suitable selection”
That is to say: I’ve been where many Freshers (and, likely, quite a few returning students) find themselves now. With over 120 societies to choose from, it can be tough to narrow down these options to a suitable selection. From the many student publications to the various sports clubs available, the sheer number of possible choices can be overwhelming. Walking onto a campus as crowded as Trinity’s can cloud your decision-making. In the midst of all the chaos, it’s easy to find yourself signing up to a dozen societies, with many promising weekly coffee hours and glamorous events.
But fear not! Your favourite returning postgraduate (and Freshers’ Fair veteran) is here to lend you her infinite —not really, but hopefully still quite helpful— wisdom. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to make the most of Freshers’ Week.
Take a look at the Central Society Committee (CSC) website
https://www.trinitysocieties.ie/societies
The CSC website has a quick description of each society’s history, as well as their aims and purpose. Through browsing through the various options beforehand, you’ll have a better idea of the kind of societies you prefer. A good strategy would also be to wait until after the fair to start joining societies. If you’re too impatient, you can always start doing that during the fair as well! Either way, you can be sure that you’ve given yourself the chance to digest this new, somewhat chaotic atmosphere before settling on your favoured choices. Don’t worry about missing out on a society you might like; if you’re unsure at first glance, but find that you like it later on, you can always go back and add another subscription later during the year!
Talk to people!
Find out what sports clubs or societies people are going to. It would probably be nice to have familiar faces around. To be honest, I’m more likely to actually attend events if I already know some of the people there. Still, this does not mean that you should not take advantage of the new environment you’re in and form new connections! The whole point of these clubs is to surround yourself with different kinds of people!
Consult your schedule
Yes, your classes might clash with certain club events, so it can’t hurt to take a quick look at your timetable beforehand! Even without timetable clashes, other complications could arise. Having a late class (or worse, no class!) the same day as a coffee hour can be a hassle. Personally, I don’t love arriving on campus at noon and staying late when my last lecture ends at 6 p.m. It might be best to try and see which events happen on days when you’re already on campus. However, if you like spending a lot of time there, then by all means, go for it! It could be a nice way to avoid boredom on the days when you don’t have many classes.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
The people stationed at the Freshers’ stalls are there for a reason. They’re here to help, and it’s probably a relief for them to talk to people instead of having to smile at the dozens of strangers who stare at them from afar!Talk to these society and club members. Ask them about their experiences. Through mingling with the people involved, you might get a better sense of what the group is like. For instance, some clubs might be more hardcore, with people actively pursuing certain interests as a group, while others might be more laid back, with members focusing on forming connections based on shared backgrounds. Most stalls will have QR codes for more information and social media accounts to follow, which should be a good way to keep updated about any events throughout the year!
Bonus resources: the Global Room, Student Learning Development (SLD), and Student-2-Student (S2S) Mentors
While these institutions hold events all year long, they also have ones specifically for orientation. Through following the Global Room on Instagram (@tcdglobal) and scanning the emails sent by SLD and your S2S mentors, you’ll be up-to-date on things like the Global Room’s speed-friending events, SLD’s seminars on essay writing and using Stella Search, and your S2S group’s meet-ups.
