coldshoulder~

Sooo. I’ve been at university for seventeen days, three of which I spent back home. I don’t think I will be back in Lincolnshire until Christmas now, so I made the most of my weekend back home! Anyway, I’ve already got a few regrets under my belt.

Firstly, everyone is going to Ministry of Sound tonight. Initially, I was also going out, but to 10:10, an ABACUS event for London Chinese university students. However, I didn’t purchase the tickets off this guy I know because I didn’t think anyone else would be going. Major regret, to be honest. I’m sat here wishing I had bought that ticket just so I could go to the Penthouse in Leicester Square (I have only heard good things with regards to this club!). Dammit.

Anyway, it is my birthday on Monday and I have invited some coursemates around for dinner and drinks. Because my birthday is so soon into term, it is hard to choose who I really want to spend my birthday with, so as a result, I just invited near enough everyone! I’m celebrating it a week on Friday instead as no one has any events going on the day after.

On my course, I have met some really friendly people. Currently, the people I have met and speak to on a regular basis are pretty cool and we all have a laugh. That is however, probably the only highlight of the course so far. The lectures are currently going over things already covered in A Level. My teachers back in Sixth Form were probably a few of the best as some of the stuff we covered in class last year is pretty much into degree level stuff. However, I am sure how hard the course advances will accelerate dramatically, and pretty soon, I will probably be out of my depth. Just my luck. Sit tight to find out if that is the case.

Right now, it is seriously annoying having to print out lecture notes before every lecture. I don’t have a printer at the moment as I couldn’t fit it in the suitcases I brought down. My mum is going to bring it down for me though in a few weeks. It can’t come quick enough!

So far, university is pretty much feeling like school but with the extras such as cooking, having to rely on oneself to get up on time for lectures, etc. I’m liking this new independance, but at the same time, it is exhausting!

Sooo… I’m all packed and ready for London. Tomorrow is move in day and the start of Fresher’s Week. After being in a lull for four months (yes, it really has been that long since the end of exams) and having nothing to learn (was great to begin with, but now? Well, I’m a little bit bored with that arrangement!), I am finally embarking on the great big adventure that is university. And I’m telling you, it really is an adventure as having lived in the country for most of my life, going into a city all by yourself does sound really scary. Though also exciting.

Obviously, I’ve packed too many clothes and shoes (and bags, but not as many as shoes), but still, I need to prepare for every situation! Right? Yeahhh. Anyway, my student loan and grant got deposited into my student bank account today. Yay for Student Finance England? Maybe. It took them long enough to sort my application out, and enough money spent ringing that stupid local rate number.

I had my last badminton session last night before the Christmas/New Year hols and it was sad. I’ll miss those weekly Thursday nights, that’s for sure.

This morning, I also had my last volunteering shift at Help the Aged. I will miss all of the people who go in on a Friday very much. We had such a laugh and though I was really shy to begin with, I opened up a lot more towards the end and as a result, I really enjoyed going in once a week. To make me miss these Fridays even more, I’ve seen my timetable and my goodness, it is a beast and a half. The afternoons are the worst. 2pm - 5pm practicals, argh. I’m not a fan of wearing goggles (they mess my hair up as I need to put it up…sad, but true.) and well, I can’t imagine there can be that many practicals, right?

Thinking about leaving home, last night, I got a little sad and sentimental haha. I guess this will be my first time away from home (properly anyway, I don’t think residentials count for much!) and all alone in the big bad world that is, the Earth. Although there are some bits I’m really looking forward to (i.e. cooking what I want to eat for once haha) and stuff like that, there are other aspects that I am not looking forward to so much (namely, being apart from my family. We are a pretty close family and I will miss all of them so much, even if we sometimes have our disagreements and crazy times!). I guess this is all part of growing up though so I’ll just have to suck it up and be an adult about it all. Hard to believe my 19th birthday is in just over 3 weeks time too. No idea what I am going to do! I’ve already got my present from my parents and I’m not asking for much else (apart from being able to survive and not having to resort to those dreaded 9p instant noodles).

Well, this is all I will leave you with now. I’ve been so rushed off my feet recently, what with so many things coming to an end (volunteering, badminton, life as a CHILD under my parents - to an extent anyway!). I hope I am just mentally ready for this… here’s hoping for a tear free night tomorrow!

Soooo, it’s now a week until I start university. A week from now, I will be at the barbecue my halls of residence have arranged. I am very excited but also a bit apprehensive as this is my first time properly away from home. I have been chatting to some people via forums/Facebook and they all seem very nice, but I’m just scared when I actually meet them in real life, I end up being really shy and not talking. I do that a lot with new people!

I’m just about done packing; two suitcases fully packed (literally jammed, I had trouble shutting them) and one more to go. Then two weekend holdalls left also. Literally everyone around here has left, so I’m kinda glad to go. The timing feels right too.

Yesterday, I had my penultimate shift at the charity shop I volunteer at until the holidays. I felt a little sad as I feel I have grown up a lot there. Afterwards, my mum took me shopping. Big disaster. Not only have I realised I am a spendaholic, I have almost come to accept that at university, I may well be living off baked beans and toast for every meal of the day. We ventured into TK Maxx, and I got a Thomas Burberry jumper and a Tommy Hilfiger bra. All reduced massively. I love them. Only problem is, I loved the jumper so much, I didn’t even bother thinking what I would wear with it. Cue dilemma.

If feels weird packing everything away. It feels like I am just packing my life into suitcases and then moving onto a new life. An adult life. I’m almost 19 though, so I guess it is time to grow up really!

On a sidenote, my Ugg boots arrived a day after ordering them (shudoo.com are nothing but efficient it seems) and they are amazing. After years of hate, I am officially converted. They are the proper Ugg Australia brand, and seriously, I have had enough of buying fake Primark ones as 1) they aren’t comfy and 2) they don’t last very long. Here’s hoping my Uggs last ages. I am desperately pining after some sand ones right now. However, I know that if I do purchase them, I won’t be able to take them to uni with me anyway as I have little room in my remaining suitcase for essentials, never mind another pair of Ugg boots!

Oh well, just have to wait til my student loan comes in