It’s that time of year again, Freshers week is upon us!
For every new student in the country, this is the moment that they have been waiting for – freedom, with you know lots of alcohol.
But for new disabled students’, Freshers like every other university tradition can be daunting.
The reasons vary from person to person, but for many disabled students, Freshers can just come too soon.
Being a disabled student can mean that you have a lot to organise before and during those first few weeks as a new student.
And even if you do plan ahead, there is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly.
So, what can you do to enjoy the experience?
Don’t Panic During Your First Freshers
Everyone feels the pressure of Freshers. It is a bit like NYE, you feel under pressure to have a good time because everyone else seems to be.
So the first thing to remember during Freshers as a disabled student is to not panic.
EVERYONE IS NOT HAVING THE GREATEST TIME EVER…
INSTAGRAM IS FAKE.
If you are encountering problems where you’re living or at university, then it is important to deal with them first.
Freshers is just one week in 3 years and you get 3 goes at it.
Find Something YOU Like
Don’t follow the crowd.
Think about what your interests are and try to find places and activities that fit your tastes.
Universities are full of all kinds of clubs and societies, and there really is something for everyone.
The Accessible Freshers
Do your research.
There is a wealth of information out there regarding accessibility of public spaces such as Euan’s Guide and AccessAble.
If you are thinking about going somewhere and you are unsure about the accessibility, ring them and ask. You can arrange for another entrance to be opened in advance and know where to go in advance.
If you require a changing places toilet, remember, there is a map with them on.
Pro Tip – if you have support inside university, chances are that the person supporting you has a pretty good insight into the area – ask them for advice.
We’ve also done pro guides to wheelchair pub crawls and nights out in Leeds – check them out!
Getting The Right Support From The Start
Freshers can be made so much harder if you don’t have the right support in place – we’ve covered organising support in our Disabled Students’ Guide.
But check out Ask Jules because they specialise in supporting physically disabled students.
