There have been teary phone calls home, feeling so nervous that you want to be sick, moments of utter devastation and mainly, feeling alone. But, I have survived Freshers Week!
The 100 mile round trip is tough. I am sure that once it starts to snow I will struggle even more but it's kind of nice driving without two children in the back. I can sing at the top of my voice, I don't have to pass snacks or water to the back or try and obtain a thrown toy from a near impossible place without crashing.
Luckily for me, at the end of every day of Freshers week I drove home, to my family and, possibly more importantly, I slept well (nearly) every night this week. I have seen some seriously rough looking young people, worse for wear from the night before. Whilst I had a great time out on the town when I was younger, I'm perfectly happy to leave the hangovers to those based on campus!
So, I'm not a typical student. In fact, I have already disgruntled my tutors because they changed the timetable at the last minute and I can't make it to one lecture a week because I can't change my childcare arrangements. However, I'm quite glad I'm not a typical student (if there is such a thing). I would have hated being on campus, even if I was 18. I couldn't cope with being so enclosed and surrounded by a vast number of young people. Whilst being on campus at university must feel comforting for some, I would have found it suffocating.
I really love that my family are keeping me grounded and normal (?). For me, university is not going to be the bubble that it is for so many people. I don't have to impress anyone or worry about what people think of me. I'm happy and settled in myself and it no longer matters to me that I have to be liked!
I have also had a nerve-wracking first week which included making a speech in front of my fellow students (I was shaking like a leaf) and consequently being elected in a landslide (so I'm told) victory as a politics student representative. This was quite a big deal for me and I really was (and still am) rather chuffed that they voted for me and I hope I'm approachable enough for them to come to me if they have any problems. I would never have stood up in front of people when I was at school because I would have been so petrified of failure.
I'm excited about the next three years and I hope I can do myself proud. It's not going to be easy but I hope that being a bit older and more grounded will give me solid, stable foundations for the years ahead.
I really love that my family are keeping me grounded and normal (?). For me, university is not going to be the bubble that it is for so many people. I don't have to impress anyone or worry about what people think of me. I'm happy and settled in myself and it no longer matters to me that I have to be liked!
I have also had a nerve-wracking first week which included making a speech in front of my fellow students (I was shaking like a leaf) and consequently being elected in a landslide (so I'm told) victory as a politics student representative. This was quite a big deal for me and I really was (and still am) rather chuffed that they voted for me and I hope I'm approachable enough for them to come to me if they have any problems. I would never have stood up in front of people when I was at school because I would have been so petrified of failure.
I'm excited about the next three years and I hope I can do myself proud. It's not going to be easy but I hope that being a bit older and more grounded will give me solid, stable foundations for the years ahead.
