So you think you can hack being a fresher?
My first year is well and truly up, and golly it has been a whirlwind of a journey. So your first year is a breeze? I would love to meet the not-so-wise person who made this ridic of a statement. Okay I get it your first year is like a 'settle in period' your work does not actually go towards your degree. HOWEVER, do NOT underestimate how hard the adjustment can be! Airy-forever-fairy-beccy sat in the one (of the two) cars full of her belonging dreaming of the partying, freedom and friendships she was about endeavour. Yet did she realise the shock to the system she was about to collide with.
Task One: Finding your new friendlings
Me being a bit of an old ball, started off rather slow. Shy would definitely be my first understatement, my new pond seamed filled with some very scary looking sharks! Freshers is publicised as being like a huge-ass rave, where everyone randomly joins in a new found BBF pack. Pft as if that is what really happens. First you need to figure out where the "hot" place to go is (of which you not only have a problem figuring out what event to go to but also where to locate it). Once that decisions is made then comes every girls nightmare; what do I wear!!?! -UV paint party? Erm do I still bother doing my hair? (future reference really don't you get given a giant boiler suit of which you look like some kind of giant condom -aka hair well hidden).
Task Two: Finding your way around
Within this new pond are of course new windy channels, sea-weed turnings and danger-fishing points; which of course all need discovering. For someone like myself, being left in a new place is a very daunting experience. Just so you can understand my level of awfulness when it comes to a sense of directions, when I started local college (I had lived in the area for over 5 years,) I had to be literally escorted to the building for at least a month before I could get the grips with my whereabouts (it was only a 30 minute walk from my then house)! -I know shameful right? Therefore, can you see my distress of being left in a completely new place to get from A to B myself! All I can say is iPhone's are life savers! (their map app actually acts as a human sat nav).
Task Three: DEFEND FOR YOURSELF
Oh you may laugh, but boy I would like to see you try and deal with this splash in the face.
Who would of thought it would be that hard to cook, clean and in fact manage your whole life yourself. This may sound pathetic but for an 18 year old that has lived at home all her life, and only attempt at ironing was with her pair of straighteners on a maxi dress (no I did not end well), it was hard! However, I shall give you guys a top tip... buy lots and lots and lots and lots of undies! -if your anything like me you have plenty of clothes therefore, the main need of washing would be for your "lucky pants" therefore buying plenty of supplies will reduce the urgency of grabbing the nearest Daz box. Was not sure whether to include this but I did only complete one whole wash in my whole first year; Muma BB has already began the lessons for next year though :/
And these were just my first three tasks once I arrived, I have completely skipped the what-seemed-like-impossible mission of deciding what to pack... what to wear... and the tear-filled goodbyes to the loveable pooch, friends and home comforts (and ofc the family)...
HOLD YOUR HORSES
Wooooahhh now don't go subtracting those UCAS forms just yet! Okay so the first slog was hard work, and yes it was a very extreme rollar-coaster (one that would definitely kick ass from Alton Towers). But I can truly say it was worth it! Firstly my packed, made with myself, of not using the lift to get to the 6th floor of my halls for my flat, did help shift off those alcoho-pol-calories, whilst making a rather funny mission to undergo slightly tipsy ;) But I cannot dismiss that I have actually found some beautiful beautiful people, which I hope shall become forever engraved on my christmas card list.
Thought I would provide some evidence of my happy-snappy-shots of some lovely memories created whilst at uni. Take this as proof that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and although I still have a long journey to go (currently on route home), I hope by the end of my uni experience I shall leave with some beautiful friends for life and some well needed life skills .. oo and a degree wouldn't go a miss.
p.s. close inspection showed that the earlier sharks (found in the pond) where in actual fact dolphins in fancy dress
