With any big life event, nerves are inevitable. Personally, it wasn't reassuring to know everyone was nervous because then the question of why we were all nervous played on my mind the entire car journey to my university. Still, underneath all the nerves I was excited about starting university and moving to my new accommodation even if I wasn't acting it the entire time. The car was full to the brim with things I swore were essential- like my Harry Potter books- and before I knew it we were driving up towards a steward to check myself in. Name taken, key fob distributed and my new block pointed out all it took was for my step dad made a stupid, classic dad joke and a lot of my nerves seemed to disappear. Simple yet so effective.
It does sound unbelievable but I truly hadn't given any thought to the seven other people I would be spending the next year with. I hadn't looked at any of the Facebook groups that always get set up and I had been so focused on making sure I had a peeler that I neglected to think about these strangers I would be sharing said peeler with. After traipsing up four flights of stairs (yes I got the only block without a lift) and finding my room at the very end of the corridor and not bumping it anyone I believed my entire flat were hermits or hadn't arrived yet. Clearly sensing I was a little off, my parents offered to take me out for lunch in town before they drove home and we could pick up anything I might have forgotten. Before I could say a word someone knocked on my door and it was two of my flatmates introducing themselves and offering me to go on the campus tour with them. Everything was going to be fine.
It's only been a couple of weeks so it is early to making bold statements but I really love my flat. We are all a bunch of weirdos in the best way possible, we're all so different but we all click in one way or another. Some of the little things get to me but thats inevitable with living with strangers and not knowing their habits; thank goodness I have my own bathroom or I may have strangled some of them by now. The girls especially in my flat are pretty wonderful and it's been lovely to have some strong sisterhood at uni.
Looking back to the first day, we all laugh about how nervous we were and how well things have worked out. It doesn't help to say this with hindsight (I know because I've been on the other end) but we realised we were all nervous because it was change and marked a new chapter in all our lives by moving out of our family homes. It is scary being plunged into a new environment but it is the best thing ever. Being able to race desk chairs around campus at 3am, buy and eat whatever food you want and have dance parties in the communal kitchen with the rest of your block are all things I would take nerves on a first day over.
I'm buzzing to see what the next year holds and what surprises living away at university will throw at me but I can't imagine being anywhere else right now.
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