Over the summer as I sat and pondered moving back into accommodation at New Goodricke all I had was questions. What would the place be like? What would my new, for now unknown, flatmates be like? Would it be weird returning to halls? And perhaps more importantly, how easy would it be to see my friends? For some reason I was plagued with the idea that they would move on, become domestic and fall into routines I would never be a part of. I envisioned myself being left behind; sitting alone in my room, with only my books for friends, and just seeing the people who had been so important every now and again, for coffee here and there, and never more than that
Of course, as with most anxieties, I told myself again and again that they were unfounded and wouldn’t happen. Most of the time that worked, and I looked to York and my second year with excitement, but these questions were still there
And so as I moved in amidst the freshers that first weekend I felt somewhat envious of their innocence, their clean slate, and the fact that they knew nothing of what was to come, but that it was alright; it was supposed to happen that way. To be a fresher is what it says on the tin, you have no concrete expectations and endless opportunities and you do what you can to settle in and make friends. Everything is new and there is something wonderful about that.
The first term is intense, and some people will feel it more heavily than others. You go out, join societies perhaps, and sit and talk for hours on end, all in an effort to feel like you belong. I am realising now that these ‘defining’ moments are not the be all and end all and that, for me at least, the fun really begins when you are settled in and can move beyond the fresher pressure of finding your feet.
Second year is full of more possibilities; I have goals, and for once in my life they feel as if they are achievable and within reach. Having moved in, and gotten accustomed to being back in halls, I realise my anxieties were not only unimportant but also unfulfilled. My flatmates seem lovely, for now at least (I have only known them a week), and I have seen my friends a huge amount despite the fact we no longer live so close.
A week and a bit into term my friendships have been reaffirmed and this year I can do more than find friends I care about. I can do things for me. It doesn’t matter if this year is your first or your last at University, the opportunities are still there. For me, without the pressure of making friends, joining and becoming more involved with societies, is easier and more accessible. I know what I want to do with this year, aside from my degree, and I can focus on that. You do’nt have to be a fresher to throw yourself into activities, do so anyway, regardless of prior experiences or present anxieties.