Freshers week is a jam-packed seven days of events and activities, set up by universities and local businesses, to welcome students to their new home. And after this week’s A level results, a who new intake of Sheffield students know they will be coming to the city.
But for many people, it is a blur of unknown faces and places that end up becoming your close friends and favourite hangout spots for the coming years.
This year, Sheffield’s universities - The University of Sheffield (UoS, or Sheffield University) will host its freshers celebrations in the week from Friday September 20. Sheffield Hallam University (SHU)’s first event - the Freshers opening party - is earlier, on Sunday September 15.
There are many, many options and things to do for students who don’t love partying or drinking, which you can find out about from each university’s Students Union.
For lots of students, the nightlife scene is one of the first things they want to get equated with when they end up living in a new city.
During the days of freshers week, most universities will host a series of fairs. These are to show students all the societies, sports clubs and events they can join in with - and there will be lots of freebies up for grabs.
After a late night out on the town, it may be tempting to skip out on these events, but they are well worth visiting, if not to make new friends, then for the free food (which you will appreciate!).
The University of Sheffield’s Students Union will be hosting a freebies fair on the Monday (September 23), activities fair on Tuesday, societies fair on the Wednesday, sustainability on Thursday, and sports on Friday.
Hallam Students Union has the societies and sports fair on Wednesday (September 18), freebies on Thursday, and other events such as volunteering and jobs fairs in October.
Unsurprisingly, there are dozens of evening events taking place over Sheffield’s clubs, bars, and students’ unions in the coming weeks.
To find out more about events at UOS, visit: https://su.sheffield.ac.uk/ and for events at SHU visit https://www.hallamstudentsunion.com/
1. Foundry
At Foundry, in the basement of the University of Sheffield's Students Union, there are events almost nightly throughout the year and Freshers Week is no different. They'll host a night of retro pop with Pop Tarts on Saturday (21st), the official welcome party on Sunday, Tuesday Club Carnival, Roar on Wednesday, Souljam on Thursday and the Big Freshers Icebreaker on Friday. Most of these events happen weekly. | Submit Photo: Submitted
2. Hallam SU
For Hallam Freshers, a tonne of events are happening across the city during Freshers week and beyond, starting with the Freshers Street Rave - Sheffield Freshers Opening Party on Sunday (15th). Hallamnation is one of the most popular nights out for Hallam students, happening every Wednesday including on September 18. There is a silent disco, freshers quiz, mini golf, indie launch party, and then a freshers closing party at the end of it all. See Hallam Students Union's website for dates and tickets. Pictured is the Sheffield Hallam Students' Union building on Paternoster Row. | Brian Eyre Photo: Brian Eyre
3. The Leadmill
The Leadmill is an iconic city music venue which sees thousands of freshers come through its doors each year. It has multiple weeks of freshers events, starting with Sheffield's Messiest Paint Party on September 19. Students know the Leadmill for Leadmill Fridays, Sonic Saturdays, Club Tropicana and, last but certainly not least, ABBA Party. | LDRS Photo: LDRS
4. West Street Live
Turning away from scheduled events and club nights, if you end up on a night out just seeing where the wind takes you, you will almost certainly end up in WSL asking yourself how they manage to keep their drinks so cheap. | JPI Photo: JPImedia