Key Summary
FAQs
What are some of the most embarrassing freshers week stories?
They range from mild mishaps to full-blown chaos: locking yourself in a car outside a club, accidentally flooding your halls after hiding a stolen university sign, or blowing up a microwave by heating beans still in the tin. Drunk texting the wrong contact and calling a parent by mistake instead of an ex are also freshers week classics.
Why do embarrassing things happen so often during freshers week?
You're thrown into a completely unfamiliar environment, surrounded by new people, with alcohol-fuelled nights out and none of the usual home comforts to fall back on. All of that combined makes small mistakes and awkward moments far more likely, and far more memorable.
Is it normal to feel embarrassed about something you did in freshers week?
Yes, completely. Almost everyone has at least one story they'd rather forget, whether it's a mixed-up phone call, an awkward classroom moment, or a night out that went sideways. The good news is that most people are too busy worrying about their own mishaps to remember yours in much detail.
What are some common freshers mishaps involving flatmates?
Drunkenly twerking in front of a new flatmate, breaking a shared microwave within the first 20 minutes of moving in, or accidentally flooding the halls are all real stories students have shared. Most flatmates end up finding these moments funny once the initial cringe wears off.
Do embarrassing freshers stories happen at every university?
Yes, this isn't specific to any one university or type of institution. Students at every UK university, from Russell Group unis to smaller campuses, share strikingly similar stories about awkward first impressions and freshers week chaos.
What should I do if I have an embarrassing moment during freshers week?
Laugh it off if you can, since almost everyone else is dealing with their own version of the same thing. These moments tend to become the stories you tell for the rest of your degree rather than something that follows you around negatively.
Can sharing embarrassing stories actually help new students?
Yes, hearing that other people have had equally cringeworthy moments is genuinely reassuring, especially in your first few weeks when everything feels high stakes. It's often the start of shared laughs and closer friendships once everyone realises nobody has it all together.
What's an example of an embarrassing freshers story involving a mix-up?
One student meant to drunkenly call their ex-boyfriend but ended up phoning their dad instead, a mix-up that's become one of the most retold freshers stories out there. Similar mix-ups, like texting the wrong contact after a night out, are far more common than most people admit.
From flooding the halls to calling your tutor “dad,” embarrassing freshers stories are a universal part of starting university. Freshers week is full of firsts – new flatmates, chaotic nights out, and confusing campus maps – so it’s no surprise that hilarious (and cringeworthy) moments happen. Whether it’s locking yourself out in a dressing gown or texting the wrong person after a night out, these mishaps are both relatable and unforgettable. To see how your uni compares, check out our ranking of the worst freshers weeks or explore our Freshers survival guide for smoother sailing.
A one night stand gone wrong
Laura Barton, now a famous journalist and author, studied English at the University of Oxford. It was here that she began dating a visiting American student who she brought back to her bedroom one night, only for him to show her his silver ring which symbolised his commitment to abstinence before marriage. To make things worse, he then began discussing the importance of Jesus in his life to her. Eek!
Missing person
One student’s parents filed a missing person’s report for them after just a week away at their new college. The student in question had just been having so much fun since arriving that they forgot to call their parents, three days later the police located the student in question and all was well.
Locked inside a car
One student managed to accidentally lock themselves inside a car outside of a club after a night out. That in itself might not have been that embarrassing, providing they were able to get friends to help them get out of the car. But this student, unfortunately, could not and in the end, firefighters were called to break them out of the car, right in front of a nightclub with other students watching the entire thing unfold before them. That was a night out they won’t forget anytime soon!
Calling your ex-boyfriend
Calling your ex-boyfriend while drunk can be embarrassing at the best of times. It can be so embarrassing, and the next day you’re horrified to realise that you cannot remember what word vomit you unleashed upon the poor guy. However, one student thought they were calling their ex-boyfriend whilst drunk and ended up phoning their dad instead. How they got those two contacts confused, we will never know.
Asking to go to the toilet
A moment of silence for all of the students who did this.
In fairness, no-one actually tells you that you do not have to ask to leave for the bathroom like you did in school, but most people seem to realise this automatically. One student who did just this wrote online that it was the most cringey thing they did whilst they were at university but that they were lucky enough not to get branded with a horrible nickname for it.
Flooded your halls
One group of students has shared online that they stole the university sign from the front of the university and hid it in one of their rooms. However, it soon came time for a room inspection so the students thought that they would try to hide it in their loft, but in doing so broke the main water pipe and flooded the entire halls. I think after that the wardens wouldn’t have been so concerned with the fact that a sign had been stolen!
Broke the microwave
The student in question did not just break their flat’s microwave within 20 minutes of moving in, but actually blew the thing up. They had decided it was a good idea to heat up some beans, but being new to the student lifestyle tried to do so when the beans were still in the tin. On the bright side, they got a new microwave!
Plagiarising your tutor’s work
One student tried to plagiarise on their final exam. Whilst this is bad enough as it is, they even went as far as to copy their tutor’s own sources. I mean, if you are going to cheat you should probably know that your tutor will recognise their own work and know that it is not your own!
Playing the parent card
Whilst you’re at university, you are bound to be studying with some other students who come from the upper elite in society, whether they be children of politicians or celebrities. This was the case for one student, and when she was graded a C in her philosophy essay, she actually asked her tutor, “Do you know who my father is?”
The most cringey question ever asked in a classroom to this day.
Twerking
One student who has just met their flatmates got drunk and decided to show off their twerking skills. All was going well until the student got right up in one of their flatmates’ faces and accidentally farted on them. Bet that made the rest of the year awkward!
