A FORMER X Factor finalist and chart-topper wowed freshers at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield.

FRESHERS, who started their first week at the University of Hertfordshire earlier this month, will be unlike many of the students who have gone before them.

For the 2010 class pretty much know they are guaranteed an amazing nightlife with a whole host of top-notch names set to perform at their swish on-site entertainment facility – the Forum.

It is quite unlike the experience for anyone else who had previously studied at the Hatfield uni.

In the 17 years before the creation of the Forum, well, there really was not much on the night scene at all.

And last year, although it was a new and very pretty �38m venue, it was like stepping into a newly bought car – there were high expectations, but no certainty that it would perform.

The Flirt Freshers’ Ball marked most new student’s first nights at the College Lane location and also marked just over a year since the Forum first opened its very glossy doors.

With former X Factor semi-finalist Diana Vickers on the bill, the 2,000 capacity venue unsurprisingly sold out.

Maybe someone failed to inform me, but the dress code seemed to be a step up from last term. I guess this was because everyone was out to impress on the big first night – and maybe the ‘Ball’ headline should have given me a clue!

To my relief though I wasn’t alone in being a tad scruffy, the other one seemingly uninformed was Diana herself.

The 19-year-old seems to base her look on being a bit untidy and since her 2008 TV showing, she seems to have not changed her look too much... she had an extremely bizarre pair of orange and black patterned trousers, pulled up like Simon Cowell, and a black vest top for her upper half.

But by the time she arrived on stage (which was meant to be 1am but was more like 1.30am) the Auditorium crowd were already truly in the swing of things and probably wouldn’t have noticed Diana’s look.

So not everyone seemed overly interested in her performance – they were focused on just having a good time – but her four or five tunes did go down well, especially with those who were adoringly watching her.

Towards the end Diana apologised for what she seemed to believe was a weak performance.

I didn’t really agree with her, although I cannot claim to be a fan. She seemed to hit all the right notes and her rendition of Snow Patrol’s track Just Say Yes was excellent.

She finished her gig with her number one smash hit Once and all of the crowd went crazy.

All in all a good night – further improved by the Diana Vickers show.

Bring on the 2010/11 calendar at The Forum is all that I can say.