Freshers’ Week. It’s a whirlwind of new faces, bottomless energy, questionable decisions, and of course free pizza at every corner. But if you're coeliac, that free pizza is basically a giant, cheesy betrayal waiting to ruin your digestive system’s life. If you’re gearing up for your first days at uni and need to navigate the gluten-filled minefield that is freshers' week, don’t panic — we’ve got you. Let’s dive into the chaos and figure out how to survive (and thrive) if you're gluten-free.
First of all, Freshers’ Week is basically seven days of social events, cheap booze, and food. The kind of food that feels like a gut-punch to any coeliac out there: think beer-soaked barbecues, post-club kebabs, and free snacks at every society stall. All those gluten bombs lurking around every corner are NOT your friend, and let’s be real, asking “Is this gluten-free?” at 2am when everyone’s clutching greasy pizza slices probably won’t win you any cool points. But guess what? You’re about to show them that gluten-free life isn’t some sad sentence to a world of dry rice cakes.
First rule of being a coeliac at uni? Never rely on the masses to cater to your needs. Stock your room with gluten-free snacks like you’re prepping for an apocalypse. Because nothing says “prepared” like whipping out your very own gluten-free pasty after a long night out, while everyone else chows down on dubious takeaways. You’ll be the one laughing when their late-night kebabs betray them the next morning, while you’ve got a hearty pasty that didn't try to kill your insides.
(And if you haven’t already tried one of our gluten and wheat-free pies yet, what are you waiting for? Stick a stash of our pies, pasties, or sausage rolls in your freezer for those moments when you need a quick, delicious bite that won’t make you regret life choices.)
Uni’s a great place to find your people. And guess what? Some of those people are also in the same gluten-free boat as you. Find the coeliac crew, bond over your mutual hate for cross-contamination, and tip each other off on the best places to get gluten-free grub around campus. If your uni town is anything like Devon (a.k.a. home of our bakery), there’s bound to be a hidden gem dishing out gluten-free pies or pasties that’ll make you feel like you’ve struck gold.
Party? BYOP. Movie night? BYOP. Study session? You guessed it – BYOP. Bring Your Own Pie, guys. Life's too short to sit there munching on boring carrot sticks while everyone else is digging into proper comfort food. Keep one of our gluten-free pies in your bag (because who doesn’t love emergency pie?) and you’ll never have food envy again. Trust us, one bite of a gluten-free steak pie, and your friends will be eyeing it jealously. That’s when you remind them, no gluten = no sharing. Sorry, not sorry.
Yep, uni’s about figuring out who you are, and as a coeliac, you’ve got a head start on owning your identity. Yes, you might have to ask more questions about ingredients than the average person, and yes, you might feel like you’re constantly dodging gluten traps – but you’ve got this. You’re navigating freshers' life like a pro, with a secret weapon in your back pocket (or fridge) – our epic gluten-free pies, pasties, and sausage rolls. While everyone else is suffering from dodgy pizza, you're fueling up with wholesome, delicious food that actually loves your gut.
So, whether you’re running on caffeine and adrenaline in the library or just trying to survive your first uni party, remember that being coeliac doesn’t mean missing out. In fact, with the right gluten-free goodies in hand (or in your freezer), you’re going to show Freshers’ Week who’s boss. Just make sure you save some pie for after the chaos subsides – you're going to need it.
Feeling hungry? Stock up now on our gluten-free pies and pasties and make sure your Freshers' Week is one for the (non-gluten-induced) memory books.
