Introductory week (late September, early October)

You will need to be available to meet and talk to the Freshers joining your tutorial group. (Should this prove impossible due to circumstances beyond your control, you should advise the Senior Tutor in advance of Introductory Week, but arrange to meet the new students as early in the term as possible). If you see your group altogether the time involved need only be about 30 minutes.

In recent years the College has been hosting a lunch for you and your tutees in Intro Week to make this meeting more straightforward, the total time for the meeting and lunch will be about 1-1.5 hours.

This important first meeting will be on a group basis and should help the student to feel well "supported", especially during their first few exciting/bewildering weeks.

Here is a checklist of some of the things you should try to cover at that first meeting:

1. Contact emails and phone numbers. Swap relevant details so that you can contact them and they you

2. Mail: Encourage them to check their pigeonholes in the college as well as emails

3. Residence: Remind them that they should see the College Residence Officers for any accommodation problems and that they can always see Beverley Whitaker, the College Adminstrator for any other immediate problems

4. Registration. If you can't answer specific questions then refer. Remind them that it is perhaps unwise to choose a new language for a Part 1 subject due to the inordinate amount of time that this might take. They should also take an alternative majorable route if possible.

5. College life. Stress the enjoyment that may be found within the college JCR and the importance of joining one or two societies for a more rounded University career. Encourage them to become involved!

6. Study skills : Draw their attention to the many available courses at the Student Development Centre

7. Health matters: Encourage them to register at the University Medical Centre

8. Lancaster: Perhaps some attention should be drawn to the fact that, as in all towns, there can be trouble spots, especially late at night and at week-ends.

It is important not to convey to your College Tutees right at the beginning of their degree course the impression that student life is one fraught with constant and repetitive difficulties of all sorts. Rather, point out that the vast majority of students have a happy and balanced passage through University, earning a deserved degree at the end.

Equally important is to remind them that their years at University are a rare opportunity and they should do all they can to make the most of them. In particular, prospective employers are looking for a rounded person, and not just one that studies for a degree.