Students tell all at Residential & Business School Stalls

We found out what students are excited about, what’s giving them the jitters, and what they want from Imperial College Union (ICU) this year.

Residential Stalls

What students are most excited about

The biggest theme was connection. Students are genuinely excited to meet new people, make new friends, and build their London group. A lot of students can’t wait to dive into clubs and societies, from sports and culture to arts and performance, and they're excited to live in London with the new adventure it brings. Many students also mentioned the thrill of independence, living alone for the first time and learning how to navigate life by themselves. And of course, there’s the academic excitement, starting a course and learning new things at a world-class university.

Student nerves ahead of starting at Imperial

Excitement and nerves often ride side by side. Students feel a bit anxious about the same thing they’re most excited for; making new friends. Academic concerns popped up frequently: fears about the workload, falling behind, not knowing enough yet, and the familiar imposter syndrome. Time management and the work life balance were common worries, as is the uncertainty of a new environment and not yet knowing what lecturers will be like. Day-to-day independence can feel daunting too; cooking every day, moving into accommodation, living alone, facing a potential culture shock, and even the logistics of commuting to campus.

Students’ expectations and support from ICU

Students want a place that brings people together and keeps things fun and welcoming. They asked for events that make it easy to build friendships, plus practical support for navigating the year. Many say they’d like ICU to be a strong voice for students, somewhere to go for advice on wellbeing, mentoring, academic processes, and the tricky art of keeping balance. Inclusivity matters: students want societies that feel open to everyone, and they’d love the odd discount to soften the student budget.

Business School Stall

Students were asked what they already knew about ICU - most students talked about 568, the events, and the huge range of clubs and societies. There was some confusion over which societies are ICU-run, and which are Business School-led. Students overall were excited about both ICU and BS societies, describing ICU as student-led and supportive, a place to turn for academic issues and appeals, and a home for the “fun stuff.” And for those who don’t know anything about ICU yet, this is normal; you're in exactly the right place to find out. On the club front, sports are the clear favourite, with strong interest in Business School societies too. Cultural groups, arts, dance, and music all earn enthusiastic shoutouts. As for Welcome events, students call out the Business School Takeover, the Welcome Fair, the Postgrad Mixer, Market Day, House Party, and Welcome to the Jungle as top of their lists.

Students’ big questions

How do you get involved in running the union?

Students’ can stand for elected roles or volunteer on projects, from Academic Reps to Liberation and Community positions, and ICU will keep everyone posted on election timelines and opportunities, for details, check the ICU Elections hub and the manifestos site for current roles and examples. How do

you sign up for a Rep role?

To sign up for a Representative role, watch for messages from your department and ICU early in term, and if you miss the first window, there are often mid-year chances. Our big Leadership Elections are held in February and March, Summer Elections are in May and June, and Autumn Elections are in October. It also helps to see who represents you now and read the overview of Academic & Wellbeing Reps, which explains how the network works and how to get involved.

What events are happening across the first term?

For events in Term 1, the What’s On calendar is the live source for mixers, fairs, tasters, daytime socials, and evening events; the Welcome Week page collected the flagship activities such as the Welcome Fair, Market Day, and Postgrad events during the first few weeks. Students should visit the What’s On page to stay up to date and make sure you don’t miss out on tickets or future events.

How to get most out of 1-Year degree?

A practical approach is to set up time management and course admin early, then commit to one or two activities that genuinely fit; ICU’s Advice Service can help with academic processes, appeals, and referrals to wellbeing support if needed.

How to join ICU an CSPs?

Joining ICU and CSPs is straightforward: as enrolled students you’re already members of ICU, with 340+ Clubs and Societies to explore and join throughout the year. There’s something for everyone, from baking to rugby and everything in between so follow group pages for memberships and Give it a Go tasters to find your community at Imperial.

How time consuming are clubs & how to get leadership roles in clubs?

Time commitments vary across clubs; many offers flexible participation so you can decide how involved you want to be. For leadership roles, showing up consistently and helping behind the scenes is the best start; any leadership, committee and by election roles are all advertised through Elections pages.

What is union for and how to get the most out of it?

As for what the union is for, think of it as community, support system, and voice. We are your student union, run by students; we are your voice, we are Imperial College Union. We offer free independent advice, and we’re the stepping stone between your voice and the university. Come to events, use advice service when needed, and share feedback so issues can be fixed; the ICU homepage and What’s On are the best jumping-off points.

How to start a society?

And if you want to start a society, bringing a simple plan and a few keen members is enough to begin; ICU’s “Start something new” guide explains the steps, from constitutions to budgeting.

No one needs everything sorted on day one. Students can try things, stick to what they love, and drop what they don’t. Asking for help early is smart. And saying hello can go a long way, the person in the coffee queue might be a future course mate, flatmate, or best friend. ICU will see students around campus or events; if anyone spots one of us, come say hello and tell us how it’s going. We’re listening.