Moving in Weekend (21-22 September 2013)
Not long after you've accepted your offer of accommodation the date and time for moving in for your hall will be released. The contract will start officially on the 23rd, but you can move in on one of these days depending on the hall. Given that there are so many people needing to move in, it'll get quite busy. Try not to arrive earlier if you can, as the slot may be dependent on your flat number, and you may find it not ready for moving in. It's not as much of a problem if you arrive late; you'll just miss out from being with your flatmates from the immediate outset.Most of you will arrive by car. You'll have a short amount of time (eg. 20 minutes) which you can park for, during which you need to unload, and then take the car elsewhere. There are shuttle buses to bring you back from alternative car parks, to the accommodation. Once back at the hall you can obviously unpack properly.
Hopefully you would have spoken to your flatmates using the facebook groups or the flatmate finder app linked to on the Accommodation page, so you can coordinate the communal items you need to bring.
International students should buy a bed pack.
Your Residents' Association (RA) are students who lived in the hall in the previous year, but not anymore. They were elected by the residents to represent the hall and organise social events, and get to relive freshers with you. They'll put on some events to complement the ones run by the University and the Guild. There's a bit more on them here.
For your parents/family/whoever, there is the following event which will give them some insight:
Parents' Welcome Address in the Elgar Concert Hall, Bramall Music Building
Saturday 21st-Sunday 22nd (2:30pm)
For more info and to register, go here.
The first night (whether Saturday or Sunday)
You probably shouldn't go to a club even if that's your thing. Get to know your flatmates and become accustomed to the hall and the immediate area. Your RA may put on a mixer event in your hall that night too e.g. a bbq.
Welcome Week (Monday 23-Friday 27 September 2013)
There are no official lectures this week, and it is technically "week 0". This is a week to orientate yourself with the campus and University, and to get to know people through a range of events. In previous years there would be registration, where you would get your ID card sorted, but that is now mostly done online, else go to the relevant welcome hub below.
Vice-Chancellor's Welcome Address in the Great Hall
Monday 23rd - College of Life and Environmental Sciences (1pm)
Monday 23rd - College of Arts and Law (3pm)
Tuesday 24th - College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (12pm)
Tuesday 24th - College of Social Sciences (2pm)
Wednesday 25th - College of Medical and Dental Sciences - (10am)
For info on which college your course is in and to confirm your attendance click here.Fairs: in the Guild of Students if not otherwise specified
Saturday 21st - Wellbeing Fair (1pm-5pm, in the Great Hall)
Sunday 22nd - Wellbeing Fair (1pm-5pm, in the Great Hall)
Monday 23rd - Freshers Fair (11am-4pm)
Tuesday 24th - Freshers Fair (11am-4pm)
Tuesday 24th - Jobs Fair (11am-4pm)
Wednesday 25th - Sports Fair (12am-5pm in the Munrow Sports Centre)
Thursday 26th- MOMD Fair (10:30am-3:30pm, in the Great Hall, what is this?)
Thursday 26th - Societies Fair round 1 (11am-4pm)
Thursday 26th - Volunteering Fair (11am-4pm)
Friday 27th - Societies Fair round 2 (11am-4pm, different societies, so go to both ideally)
UK Student Welcome Hub in the Mason Lounge, Arts Building
Saturday 21st-Sunday 22nd (12pm-4pm)
Monday 23rd (8am-7pm)
Tuesday 24th-Thursday 26th (9am-4pm)
Friday 27th (9am-1pm)
Turn up for new and replacement ID cards (if not already mailed to you), proof of registration statements, registration help, info on council tax exemption, and general queries.
EU and International Student Welcome Hub venue not confirmed
Saturday 21st-Sunday 22nd (12pm-4pm)
Monday 22nd (8am-7pm)
Tuesday 24th-Thursday 26th (9am-4pm)
Friday 27th (9am-1pm)
Turn up for right to study checks, new and replacement ID cards, proof of registration statements, and info on council tax exemption.
Freshers Ball: in the Guild of Students
Friday 27th (9pm-3am)
NUS Extra and Joes Plus card sales in the Amos Room of the Guild of Students
Saturday 21st-Friday 27th (10am-4pm) - NUS cards for £12, Joes Plus cards for £2
Everything else!
These depending on your interests, demographic (mature student, local student, student parent or carer etc), and your course. Info on these are available here in an interactive timetable. The rest of this page is somewhat alcohol-centric, as the other events have yet to be entirely confirmed, while freshers fest is generally well understood.
Freshers Fest
This is the club nights part which starts on the Monday 23rd. The events are organised by the University's Guild of Students (read the Guild page here) at various clubs in the city, specifically for UoB students. You buy tickets online if you want to go. The website will be promoted once they are available. Don't get caught out by random promoters trying to frame their events as "official" or their merchandise as being tailored for freshers at Birmingham.
Freshers Fest 2013 page here
Once you know you're definitely coming you can buy tickets here (corrected link)
Tickets usually sell out being moving in weekend, but if they didn't (which doesn't usually happen) they'd be available to buy in person once you'd arrived if there are some left for your hall. Freshers Fest usually refers to the organised club nights, but there's also Freshers Ball. You can get ticket packages which have either one (ball or fest events) or both of these included. Each year there have been bonus limited packages as well which have extra events.
If you miss out on getting a package, people might sell the odd ticket later in the period if they change their minds about going to a particular event.
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| Fresher fest ticket packages |
The packages are hall-specific, as different halls go to venues on different nights. But you cover the same ones in the same period:
So in 2012 for example, on the first Monday: Aitken, Elgar Court, Hunter Court, Jarratt Hall, Tennis Court, Beeches and Victoria Hall were all at Neonfest in the Guild of Students, while Maple Bank, Mason, Pritchatts Park and Shackleton were at Loaded in Gatecrasher. They rotate around the various events.
Freshers flu - you may get this. It's obviously not a specific illness, but a result of the mix of stress, alcohol (for some), lack of sleep, and germs from all over the country and world being brought together. You could come down with it before the first week is out. Do your best to live at the healthier end of your lifestyle spectrum to mitigate this, but it's not such a big deal if you get it, as everyone will have off days.
The rest of the year
At least for most courses, the marks don't count towards your final grade. It's crucial you do as well as you can though, as it'll be imperative to get you any work experience or a graduate job, as they won't know your final grade while you are applying.
Still, enjoy yourself.
Accommodation for 2nd year
You'll do this eventually, but while I've brought it up here, don't think about it too early. There are options just so you know, and you can stay in halls, although most will move into Selly Oak (and some into Harborne area as it's nearer to the Medical School). Make sure you're fully informed about it before you jump into anything.
There is support. The University has a number of properties it owns itself. The Guild also has a letting agency called the SHAC. These should be your first points of call, and you will no doubt find out more about them as the year goes by.
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| Selly Oak |
