Ending the stigma around Freshers Week

First impressions impact retention levels, degree outcomes and the extent to which your students and graduates speak highly of you.

We know from our previous research that young people don’t foster a heavy-drinking culture. When it comes to alcohol, like many other aspects of their lives, Gen Z prefer quality over quantity. They crave new and interesting experiences – and they want to remember these experiences.

With that in mind, don’t waste energy on creating campaigns that speak to an archaic stereotype. It’s time to be more creative in your student marketing and recruitment…

Forming deeper connections

So, what does the Freshers Week really look like today? What social events are Freshers taking part in? How do you support new students settle in? …And why does it all matter?

For higher education professionals, it’s essential to deliver successful inductions to your institution. First impressions impact retention levels, degree outcomes and the extent to which your students and graduates speak highly of you.

For brands, understanding Fresher culture allows you to form strong relationships with this audience, by sharing in their big moments, offering support where they need it most and delivering brand experiences that resonate with them.

Immersing yourself in Fresher culture

You can analyze statistics and look at satisfaction surveys, but there’s nothing quite like first-hand experiences.

So, to give you a better feel for how this year’s Freshers Week went down, we asked our new cohort of first year students (from our youth research panel) to share their Freshers stories – the highs, the lows and the outright fails.

Our new insight video reveals which universities are hitting the right notes and what areas students feel less supported.

Click here to access the full video for free