Hello,
As it is now September, University will soon be starting up again. In honour of this I thought I would share with you just a few of the things that I learnt over my first year at university.
- Its ok to get homesick.- I really struggled to get used to living away from home, particularly during my first semester. I just really missed my family, the dogs and my room. I missed waking up to everything that was familiar. And that is ok. I lived there for eight years, which is the longest I have lived anywhere. There are a million and one ways to deal with this, everyone deals with it in a different way. For me I had to go home at weekends for a while. That is what worked for me, and in the end I felt a lot better. Just remember that it will all work out in the end.
- Cooking isn’t as hard as it looks- I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t sure how much I could really cook when I moved out. It turns out that a basic knowledge is all you really need. So before going on to learn how to cook the things that you love to eat learn the simple things. Make sure you can make pasta(a student staple) and you can cook eggs, whether your boiling, scrambling or frying them. Once these have been mastered you can go on to learn more complicated things.
- Never go shopping on a Friday.- This sounds like a joke but I am honestly not kidding. If you do go then you might be risking your life. Its busy and not just with those like you getting your weekly shopping. It is also filled with the people collecting the online orders. The situation feels like you are simulitaniously in everyones way and everyone is also in yours. Seriously just avoid it at all costs. And if it really can’t be avoided, perhaps with some backup and no that doesn’t mean alcohol.
- Netflix will become your best friend – If I wasn’t addicted to netflix before I left for university, then I was by this May. Its not a bad thing, not entirely. I found myself watching netflix when I was cooking, while I cleaned, even when I was studying. It was nice to have a bit of background noise, background noise that wasn’t music that I hated. Its not something we should be ashamed of. Just remember that you should turn off the laptop and go for a walk sometimes. If you really can’t do that then maybe watch a movie with a friend.
- Its not like High school- It is a very different experience. Everything from the atmosphere to the work load. Its not necessarily a bad thing, its just different.It is a lot more relaxed, I think this is because everyone is there because they want to be(generally speaking anyway). Everything is up to you, no one is forcing you to work or attend classes. Its your choice whether you put everything in it or just give it the bare minimum.
So that is a summary of some of the things that I have learnt over the past few year. Its been a really busy year and I am so glad that I have had this opportunity. I can’t wait to see what happens over the next year.
Until the next time…
Bye X
Me and All My Colours 