9.1 Your first few days at Exeter
As you’ll have seen throughout this course, there’s lots of information online to guide you through your early days with us - but there’s nothing like meeting people face-to-face on campus and we’re all really looking forward to meeting you over the next few weeks. Our induction programme is designed to help you form supportive peer groups and friendships that will help you to feel at home, but we understand that it can take some time to build your confidence and make those connections. Welcome Week can feel exciting and terrifying in equal measure!
Don’t worry if you feel a bit overwhelmed and homesick during your first few days and weeks on campus - it’s completely normal and I can assure you that even the most confident people around you are having to overcome a few nerves! Together with all of the other support services, academic staff, the Students’ Union, and our amazing students, we’re going to do all we can to help you to settle in to life as an Exeter student as quickly as possible.
If you’re not sure about anything, and you can’t find the answer anywhere in this course or elsewhere online, please don’t hesitate to ask. As the phrase goes, there are no stupid questions! It's not too late to join a Peer Support programme to be matched with a current student who can help you navigate your first year and connect you with other like-minded people.
If you see someone looking a bit lost, go up and say hello. And if you’re feeling a bit lost yourself, try starting up a conversation with someone nearby (asking for directions to somewhere is always a good starter) - you never know, it could lead to a life-long friendship. At the academic induction events you’ll get to meet the other students on your programme, but there are thousands of other students across the university. Even if it sometimes doesn’t feel like it during the hectic first few days, your future best friends are somewhere out there. It’s now your job to find each other! So explore, try new things, talk to everyone, learn to say hello in a different language, and begin what we hope will be some of the best months and years of your life.
Academic Induction
The first week at University is a whirlwind and everything will feel very unfamiliar. As part of your on-campus academic induction, there will be welcome events hosted by your department in Welcome Week. We have designed a week of events which we hope will be a start to getting to know us and us you. There are activities around the Department and your course on the first day and then the rest of the week is designed to help you to start to start to find your way around campus, recognise a few people, ask questions and most importantly to build your first good experiences of activities and learning on campus.
Your events will appear on your personal timetable and are also on the New Students pages for your course. The photo above is from one of the activities in welcome week - the team problem solving mini bootcamp.
It’s extremely important that you attend these events – they are your main chance to meet some of the people who will be supporting you, including educators and student reps. You’ll also get insights into the characteristics of your particular programme, and important information about what to expect. Time will also be dedicated to activities that help you get to know other students on your programme.
Accommodation
The ResLife Team is here to welcome you to Cornwall, your new home away from home. The team is made up of students studying at Falmouth University and the University of Exeter. The primary goal is to help you make the most of your university life, and this year they have teamed up with the SU and Events teams to host a social calendar of events and activities for students living in halls of residence, both on and off campus, as well as acting as a friendly and familiar face in halls for signposting you to relevant wellbeing and support services. A great way to make new friends and feel at home, you can keep up to date with everything they’re doing on Instagram.
There is an email address that you can use for any practical questions about your accommodation, worries about living with others and questions about living in Falmouth, Penryn and the wider area which is halls.help@fxplus.ac.uk.
Our Student Union webpages also have some great advice and support regarding accommodation!