Credit: Glasgow University Union
Deputy Editor & Editor-in-Chief
Sometimes, with such a vast and eclectic array of events taking place at the same time, Freshers’ Week can seem like an organisational nightmare. Not only do you have to decide which evening events you will prioritise, you also need to determine at what time the following day you will realistically be able to attend daytime events such as the Freshers’ Fair or society mixers and introductions. With this in mind, we’ve put together a short list of some of the key things happening at Glasgow University and the city as a whole during Freshers’ Week 2018
Student media events
The Glasgow Guardian Freshers’ Week Contributors Meeting will take place on Thursday 13 September in Lecture Theatre 22 of the Boyd Orr Building from 5pm onwards. This meeting will be followed by a social at Dram! which all new potential contributors are invited to. No prior journalistic experience is required to start writing for The Glasgow Guardian and if you want to get involved with an award-winning, 85-year-old leading student newspaper then you are strongly encouraged to come along as a lot of important information will be distributed, including introductions from the editors and the opportunity to take article pitches. The Glasgow Guardian will also have a stall at both days of the Freshers’ Fair in Bute Hall where you can sign up for our newsletter.
Qmunicate Magazine will be hosting a journalism workshop on Wednesday 12 September at 1pm in Jim’s Bar at the Queen Margaret Union (QMU), as well as a creative writing workshop at 3pm on Thursday 13 September in Scran. The magazine will also have a stall at the Freshers Fair as part of the Queen Margaret Union. Glasgow University Magazine (GUM) will be hosting a creative writing workshop at For Fika Sake 2-3.30pm.
On Thursday 13 September at 12pm in the Mcintyre Building (SRC), a Student Media Introduction meeting will take place. Here, The Glasgow Guardian, Glasgow University Magazine, GUST and Subcity Radio will all be giving talks. If you are a budding journalist, DJ or presenter then this would be the perfect event to attend.
Free food
Something all students love to hear are the words “free food”, and usually a decent amount of free and discounted food is available during Freshers’ Week as local businesses attempt to promote to the new clientele in town. On Monday 10 September, Hillhead Bookclub on Vinicombe Street (just off Byres Road), are offering up 250 free dishes to whatever students make it before they run out. If you miss that, don’t worry; they’re hosting a similar event on Saturday 15 September. The first 30 people get a free brunch, and once those are gone, all brunches bought with a can of Irn Bru will be fixed at £5. If that isn’t your thing, Dominos usually pays a visit to the University during Freshers Week to hand out free slices of pizza, so keep an eye out!
Daytime activities
In terms of daytime events, there will also be a lot on during your first week as a university student. On Monday 10 September a Mature Student Mixer will be held in Scran at the QMU from 4-6pm.
Also on Monday 10 the Glasgow University Union (GUU) – in association with the Union’s magazine G-You – are hosting Comic Con; a great opportunity to meet like-minded people.
The annual Freshers’ Fair, probably one of the most popular events of the week, will be held on Tuesday 11 September and continue on Wednesday 12 in various parts of the Main Building, mainly Bute Hall. Glasgow University Sports Association (GUSA) will also be holding their “Freshers Fayre” on Wednesday starting at 10am. There will also be a poster sale in the Food Factory in the QMU starting at 9am that day, an excellent and cheap way to decorate your new bedroom. Later in the week, on Thursday 13 September, Qudos in QMU will be hosting a vintage fair which will be on from 10am-4pm. For environmentalists or anybody hoping to learn more about sustainability, The Glasgow University Environmental Sustainability Team (GUEST) will present The Sustainable Freshers Festival in the Cloisters, Main Building from 12-5pm.
Nighttime events
The nights are just as busy as the daytime during Freshers’ Week, so expect to be exhausted by the time your first week of classes begins, but in the meantime, here’s a rundown of the biggest nights of Freshers’ 2018.
The Cecilian Society will be recruiting for their annual weekend show; this year it will be High School Musical 2. On Thursday 20 September, if you want to join in, head to the QMU for 7pm. The show will take place at 7.30 on Sunday 23 September in Qudos in the QMU.
If you fancy a more rowdy evening that still allows you to bond with your new pals, the GUU Beer Bar Pub Quiz, starting at 7pm, is always a hit and a lot of fun.
GUSA will be hosting their annual party on Wednesday 12 in the GUU, starting at 8pm and finishing at 2am. This isn’t one to be missed.
GULGBTQ+ and the GUU will also be hosting Glitterfest! on September 9, which is the ultimate welcome for absolutely everyone to enjoy. This staple Freshers’ event involves live DJs, karaoke and getting doused in glitter. Another GUU-must this Freshers’ is their Massaoke event, which involves singing along to your favourite indie, pop and rock anthems in a large crowd. Most GUU nighttime events are some of the best on campus, so keep up to date with their lineup!
On Friday 14 September, Bamboo, positively a Glasgow Freshers’ institution at this point, will be hosting Bamboo’s Big Freshertime Ball – and what’s more, all students go free. The club boasts three rooms (pop, R&B and indie) to cater to all tastes in your new friend group, and mixers are usually around £1.50.
Each of the student unions will be putting on a host of events including a UV paint party, headphone disco, and DJ sets from BBC Radio 1’s Scott Mills and Chris Stark. Just remember, if you want to attend any of these events you will need to purchase a Freshers’ band. For a complete breakdown of what’s on during Freshers’ Week, head over to the official event calendar at freshersweek.glasgowstudent.net and/or “like” both student unions on Facebook to ensure that any tickets you purchase are legitimate!
