It may seem like a staple of student life. But the drinking culture during freshers’ week can be ‘exclusionary’ for disadvantaged students, the universities watchdog has warned.
Universities must work harder to make all students feel welcome, said John Blake, director for fair access and participation at the Office for Students. Last week, campuses welcomed first-year students with a week of freshers’ fairs, student society events and clubbing.
But Mr Blake said students who are the first in their family to go into higher education may find the rituals strange and not understand the ‘rules of engagement’. He even warned it may lead students to drop out, citing examples of some who ‘had no idea how to meet people’ on campus.
