As of about six hours ago, I have now been a full-time, undergraduate, Lancaster University Freshers student. On the one hand, this week has gone much faster than I thought it would. I mean, my first week of living on my own has been and gone, how is that possible?! On the other hand though, somehow I have packed so many subject talks and free pizza leaflets and empty cider bottles into this week, I feel like I've already been here for years.
It was a bit weird to start with; I'm living with eleven other people at the moment (in the UK's best University accommodation for 4 years' running, just thought I'd mention it) so the first few days were incredibly overwhelming. My housemates are all very different and very wonderful people! I'll no doubt be talking about them lots over the next year.
After my parents and sister left me in my room, it did start to hit me that I'd really done it. I'd moved out, I'd started a new part of my life. And right now it's also dawning on me that I've survived my first week here; I've cooked several meals (albeit some took considerably more preparation than others), joined a few societies, been on a few nights out, even met a few people outside my house and college, and took part in the student women's rugby trials today, which were really relaxed and involved a pint afterwards - always good! It's my last official freshers night out tonight, I've got my first ChurchSearch destination tomorrow, and then my lectures start on Monday. Surely then, if I've got this far, I can definitely make it to the end of this year. Fingers crossed!
I am missing my family and friends back home though; I'm hoping my sister is going to come up and see me soon, and my girlfriend is coming up next week - it's been really hard not seeing her regularly. It's not quite the same, and it's still something I'm adjusting to.
As for the whole gay thing, well, I didn't think it was going very well at first. I was crushed on my first night when our Freshers' Reps started calling the female president of the LGBT club 'the Beast', and no one seemed particularly up for stopping using the word 'fag' when I asked them not to. However, as the week has gone on, people have started to ask me about my girlfriend after I casually slipped her into conversations a few times, and a few girls have even said that I should tell them if anyone gives me trouble about it next week. I'm sure it'll be fine, just as everything else has gone much more smoothly than I could ever imagined.
It's funny, I rarely tend to notice God's presence when each second is speeding past me and I'm in the thick of the moment - but always, in retrospect, I can see how much He helps me through every day. Some would call it coincidence, some would say I got through this week as well as I have through my own strength. But you definitely wouldn't be saying those things if you'd seen me the night before I left! No, God has been next to me through this entire week. Reflection is a good way to stop me doubting.
Now I need to get ready before I go out one last time this week; it is by far not the last time I will ever go out this year! But I have a feeling I'm going to need a serious boost in energy to keep me going tomorrow. I'll let you know how on getting I'm soon.
God bless :)
It was a bit weird to start with; I'm living with eleven other people at the moment (in the UK's best University accommodation for 4 years' running, just thought I'd mention it) so the first few days were incredibly overwhelming. My housemates are all very different and very wonderful people! I'll no doubt be talking about them lots over the next year.
After my parents and sister left me in my room, it did start to hit me that I'd really done it. I'd moved out, I'd started a new part of my life. And right now it's also dawning on me that I've survived my first week here; I've cooked several meals (albeit some took considerably more preparation than others), joined a few societies, been on a few nights out, even met a few people outside my house and college, and took part in the student women's rugby trials today, which were really relaxed and involved a pint afterwards - always good! It's my last official freshers night out tonight, I've got my first ChurchSearch destination tomorrow, and then my lectures start on Monday. Surely then, if I've got this far, I can definitely make it to the end of this year. Fingers crossed!
I am missing my family and friends back home though; I'm hoping my sister is going to come up and see me soon, and my girlfriend is coming up next week - it's been really hard not seeing her regularly. It's not quite the same, and it's still something I'm adjusting to.
As for the whole gay thing, well, I didn't think it was going very well at first. I was crushed on my first night when our Freshers' Reps started calling the female president of the LGBT club 'the Beast', and no one seemed particularly up for stopping using the word 'fag' when I asked them not to. However, as the week has gone on, people have started to ask me about my girlfriend after I casually slipped her into conversations a few times, and a few girls have even said that I should tell them if anyone gives me trouble about it next week. I'm sure it'll be fine, just as everything else has gone much more smoothly than I could ever imagined.
It's funny, I rarely tend to notice God's presence when each second is speeding past me and I'm in the thick of the moment - but always, in retrospect, I can see how much He helps me through every day. Some would call it coincidence, some would say I got through this week as well as I have through my own strength. But you definitely wouldn't be saying those things if you'd seen me the night before I left! No, God has been next to me through this entire week. Reflection is a good way to stop me doubting.
Now I need to get ready before I go out one last time this week; it is by far not the last time I will ever go out this year! But I have a feeling I'm going to need a serious boost in energy to keep me going tomorrow. I'll let you know how on getting I'm soon.
God bless :)
