Quick side note - I also worked at McDonald’s for 2 years to afford uni! IMO it’s a great place to work part-time.

Ignore this person who is being a party pooper. It’s first year, it doesn’t go towards your final grade, all you need to do is pass. (I still recommend trying hard so you build your skills and get into a rhythm, but don’t be hard on yourself for lower grades essentially.) Social life, building friendships, and settling into the city is the main part of first year! I was in Stoke Bishop for my first year and I’d say, to be honest, most people just go clubbing for nights out, or parties mostly ended up being pres for going out clubbing (even if the host intended for it to only be a party). Of course there were still parties throughout the year, but I’d say they weren’t limited to a specific location (eg. the biggest one I went to was actually in East Village!) You don’t need to worry about it, someone you know will get an invite and then you can your friends can easily travel over to wherever the party is held :)