A mixed first impression

Vision can exclusively reveal the results of YUSU’s First Impressions Survey, which questioned 644 incoming students about their experience of Freshers’ Week. The survey was launched in week four of autumn term, and ran for four weeks.

Amongst the results are figures demonstrating that almost a third of respondents were dissatisfied with Live & Loud, citing size of venues, a lack of atmosphere and disorganisation among the reasons for their discontent.

Some of the most interesting results concerned students’ experience of their college’s Freshers’ Week, with a startling disparity between the results from different colleges. Derwent topped the tables with 84 per cent of respondents stating they thought the wristbands were value for money, and 46 per cent describing the events as “excellent”. Ex-Derwent Chair Matt Jenkins told Vision that he and his JCRC team “concentrated on giving the Freshers value for money, and the fact that we were one of the cheapest colleges, but offered events to cater for all tastes every day, has clearly been a successful strategy.”

Langwith received a 75 per cent “value for money” rating, followed by James (61.8 per cent), Goodricke (58.5 per cent), Vanburgh (42.9 per cent) and Alcuin (38.6 per cent). Halifax, who sold the most expensive wristbands, received the lowest student rating, with just 16.9 per cent of respondents describing them as value for money, and just six per cent describing the events as “excellent”. Ex-Halifax President Davedass Mootanah told Vision: “Predictions were that it would be sunnier during Freshers’ Fortnight…This was an important factor that had to be taken into account when selecting the price of the Halifax Freshers’ Fortnight tickets.”