During your first few days at Nottingham you'll be introduced to a 2nd year who will be your Medic parent. They're generally (although it's not always possible!) the person in the year above you with the same personal tutor as you, and your tutor will often take you out for a meal with your parent (and grandparents, and great-grandparents!).
They're the ones you go to for help and advice- they've been through it all before and they know pretty well how to survive it. Good parents will provide you with text books and notes and the life saving cheat sheets (wait until SF1!). So even us 3rd years writing this will still talk to our parents about up coming exams etc. because they've been there already!
Better parents will invite you round to prelash before a night out and you'll end up with a real family feel.
Don't get down if you don't like your medic parent or they leave you by the side of a road in a basket waiting for some passer-by to pick you up. You can always adopt your own and it's never too late to do so!
Their first job is to buy you a drink- let them do it! It's tradition. You'll be expected to do the same next year!
Freshers check out our guide to joining the best medical school in the world....Bedpans and Dipsticks
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/medsoc/welfare/freshers/