FRESH LOOK Scots unis ditching Freshers Weeks in favour of pet yoga
SCOTS unis have ditched Freshers Week in favour of pet yoga to allow them to be extra inclusive.
Scholar unions have ditched the thought of “Freshers” to get away from the picture of mad events, initiation ceremonies and binge-drinking kids.
2 Unis are shifting away from the booze-filled occasions of Freshers week Credit score: Getty
2 New Stirling Uni college students can have a “Welcome Week” as a substitute of Freshers Credit score: The Solar
Brisker’s weeks have lengthy been related to new college students partying away earlier than beginning their diploma.
However scholar our bodies are being pressured to ditch the branding over fears it’ll encourage heavy consuming and unsafe behaviour, the Mail on Sunday experiences.
Some unis have already rebranded it as “Welcome Week” as a part of the rebrand.
Stirling College students’ Union has already put collectively a sober lineup away from the normal booze-fuelled occasions.
This 12 months’s new undergrads will get pizza and board sport nights, rock and roll bingo, a gardening session, and a sober ceilidh.
New Stirling Uni kids can even be taken on a day trip to Ikea and get a Sunday street.
And freshers at Edinburgh Napier will not be assembly new friends in bars and golf equipment – however at “velocity friending”, portray picnics and pet yoga.
The Edinburgh Uni Scholar’s Affiliation posted to their web site: “We don’t use “Freshers” terminology. All official content material and occasions will probably be underneath the banner “Welcome Week”.
“Welcome Week gives one thing for everybody and we actually suggest our undergraduate and postgraduate communities benefit from this week and check out new issues.”
A spokesperson for Stirling Scholar Union informed The Mail: “Our exercise is being offered as Welcome Week as we really feel the title extra adequately displays what college students are searching for throughout their first few days and weeks.
“Inclusivity is a big a part of what we hope to supply with actions aimed toward getting college students collectively in relaxed social settings.”
Though new college students will nonetheless be capable to attend extra conventional Freshers occasions elsewhere – the union occasions have been welcomed by some.
Graeme Callander, from Habit charity We’re With You, stated ditching Freshers will assist in the direction of tackling Scoitland’s booze drawback.
He stated: “It is no secret Scotland has a troubled relationship with alcohol and Freshers Week is related to extreme alcohol use.
“Altering it to Welcome Week is a step in the direction of altering that tradition.
“Language can play an essential position in bringing about optimistic change however this does not occur in a single day. We have to improve consciousness in regards to the results of binge consuming so college students could make knowledgeable selections.”
New steering was issued to universities throughout Britain after the loss of life of 20-year-old Ed Farmer in 2016.
The primary-term Newcastle Uni scholar died of alcohol poisoning after an Agricultural Society initiation the place members ordered 100 triple vodkas and drank from a pig’s head.
Farmer, 20, had his head shaved through the binge consuming session which additionally included downing the vodkas in seven minutes.
His loss of life noticed Universities UK urge its 140 member unis to warn their college students in regards to the risks of heavy consuming.
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