LONDON - British universities have warned students to prepare for a much tamer freshers’ week during the pandemic, leaving them no room for drunken debauchery. In a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus, universities across the UK will confine social interactions to one household, or one ‘social bubble’, meaning students will be banned from throwing wild parties or having sex with people they don’t live with. Freshers’ week generally takes place in mid-September and sees thousands of new students take part in events designed to settle them into their new surroundings. It is seen as a rite of passage for many students, particularly those who find new freedom away from home. But students caught flouting new Covid-19 restrictions face hefty fines, The Sunday Times reported. Higher Education Policy Institute director Nick Hillman said freshers’ week ‘is going to look very different’ but praised universities for doing ‘the right thing’.

He said: ‘This will clearly make having close student friendships and intimate relationships difficult. Visit our live blog for the latest updates: Coronavirus news live ‘Universities are doing the right thing [but] I do hope it will be temporary. Certainly the experience of freshers’ week will be very different.’(FA)