Everything you need to know about Freshers’ Fairs

A new university year is beginning, and that means students will soon be flocking to their Freshers' Fairs. Whether you're new to university life, or a seasoned third year, attending your Freshers' Fair is a great way to kick off the academic year and see what you might like to get stuck into in the coming months. 

What is a Freshers' Fair?

Freshers' Fairs are events put on by Students' Unions at the beginning of each academic year to showcase what life looks like at that particular university. Typically, there will be lots of stands highlighting information about clubs, societies, volunteering opportunities, events, and local venues. 

Freshers' Fairs usually take place in the first week of term (Freshers' Week) and last one or two days. Your SU website will have more information about your specific Freshers' Fair so make sure to check it out for more details.

Why should you go to your Freshers' Fair?

Thinking about going to your Freshers' Fair? There are lots of reasons to get stuck in. Here are just a few:

Find out about new societies

Joining societies is a great way to meet new people and make friends with similar interests. These days, universities offer so many different kinds of clubs and societies that there will be something to interest everyone. Your Freshers' Fair is the ideal place to discover what your university has to offer and find out more information about the societies that interest you. You can register for the society at the stand on the day, or take a leaflet or their social media handles and decide to join at a later date. 

Meet new people

Your Freshers' Fair will be packed with people. If you're new to university, this could be a great place to meet some new friends. These events are designed to encourage conversation, so it should be easy for you to start chatting to the other students running the stands, or even others who are wandering around. Who knows, you could even meet your best friends there!

Grab some freebies

One of the best things about Freshers' Fairs is the amount of free goodies you can walk away with. Expect everything from free Domino's pizza and snacks to complimentary tote bags. Pens, vouchers, drinks, snacks, T-shirts, pins - you name it, it'll probably be there. Even if you just show your face for a few minutes, it'll be well worth it for the stash you'll walk away with. 

Top tips!

Go with a friend

If you're feeling a bit nervous or overwhelmed, it can be helpful to go to your Freshers' Fair with a friend or new flatmate. Not only can you get stuck into the activities together, but you'll have a chance to get to know each other more too. 

Grab leaflets

There's so much happening at a Freshers' Fair that it can be hard to get your head around everything in the moment, or remember everything afterwards. That's why it's a good idea to pick up all the leaflets you can. That way, you can sort through them when you get home and remind yourself of what interested you. Who knows, you might even find new societies to sign up to after you've left!

Make notes

You don't need to carry a notebook around with you while you're at your Freshers' Fair, but you can easily jot down a few notes on your phone. Just write down the names of any societies that particularly interested you or any key information that you think might be useful later. Your future self will thank you.

Sign up to something

When you're at your Freshers' Fair, try and sign up to at least one club or society that interests you. That way, you'll have something already booked in your diary to attend once term starts properly. Lots of societies also hold taster sessions so you can see if you like it before committing fully. 

Want to find out more about how to make the most of your Freshers' Week? Check out our guide to Freshers' Week 2023.