Fresher Friends,

There was some work too!

I’ve never cried as much as I did during my first few weeks of University. I’ve also never laughed, danced, sung, or learnt as much. I’ve never felt more like Alice – trapped in a world that spins and makes little sense. Contrastingly, never have I found myself more in Wonderland, with, of course, copious cups of tea. When it comes to what runs through a Fresher’s mind, Carroll hit the nail on the head: “Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.” And indeed, a wonderful puzzle – a jigsaw, made from experiences and memories and stories and people whose paths you cross.

3 Years with this nutter! <3

This is a “Thank-you” to my Fresher Friends, and all your wonderful quirks – pet jellyfish and shampoo-bottle hoarding included. Thank you for keeping me sane – grounded. For showing me that life is more than study and books (as an English Literature student I was weary, sceptical and needed frequent coaxing/bribing). And thank you for taking me beyond the realms of insanity as we scooted from room to room on our desk chairs. It seems, indeed, “We’re all mad here”. And I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Don't grow up - it's a trap!

In September 2013 my parents dropped me off at university with too many boxes, a million and one pictures of a life I’d left behind and a level of expectation that could have cost me it all! My room was bleak. My walls were bare. My planner was unnervingly empty. I was just another 18 year old attempting to cram my clothes into the wardrobe, mould my feet into the typical student’s shoes and face the inevitable fall-out with my printer.

I’m a self-confessed perfectionist. I’ve lived a life controlled by numbers and by letters: grades, percentages, and, as a result of anorexia, measurements. Prior to university, my life was academia. Full stop. It got me to a Russell Group university, but it cost me my health and my happiness. I went to university vulnerable: I knew little of the world outside of exams, House Captain duties and results days.

Just a normal "morning after"

University gave me a life I couldn’t even have imagined, and for that, I owe it all to the people I met in those first few weeks. People from all over the world and people who let me into their worlds. Life in halls: sink or swim – the water may be deep and the ground un-trodden, but life rafts and maps can, and WILL, be found in the most unexpected places (the mystery pillow room of Moberly House, the shared blankets of 3am fire drills and the donated Cadbury yoghurt from dinner).

Cupcake dinners for the desperate students!

Many of you are just acquaintances now, for in the weeks that follow those early ones of exposure, the dust settles, false pretences inevitably slip and you find “friends for life”. But whatever happened once the Fresher’s journey reached its final destination and we all boarded different boats to sail us through Second Year, I know we’ll never be total strangers to one another. We’ve seen, heard and know too much!

To those on the brink of diving into uni life, embrace it. Dive headfirst (said from the girl who feared the world and was convinced she couldn’t float). You’ll be amazed at how far you can swim in such depths of immense possibility. You’ll be amazed at how many people will offer you a hug when you need them to. You’ll be amazed at how quickly it goes (said from the girl who is undeniably envious that you’re yet to find the truth in these words). That’s not to say it isn’t scary. It is. And that’s okay. You Will Be Okay. Give life a chance. Give people a chance.

Nothing was ever too weird

Nothing at all..

To my Fresher Friends, thank you for the experiences. From the truly amazing, liberating October sea swimming, to the downright bizarre, footballs/beer bottles shoved down the toilets. From the simply incredible memories, Sunday evening hall hockey, rocky road making, tea drinking, to the utterly revolting sound of people being sick from the upstairs window.  Thank you for the 3am fire alarms…and the 6am ones when we had 9am seminars so decided there was no point in going back to sleep. Thank you for letting me share your room when a spider moved into mine. Thank you for coming across the corridor and turning my light off when I was too tired to get out of bed and do it myself. Thank you for accepting my early bed times and acknowledging that if it got to 11pm and you were still sitting on my bed, there was a strong possibility that I’d ask you to budge over, say goodnight and simply go to sleep with you sat cross-legged watching one of our many new found TV programmes. Thank you for kindling my love (obsession) of Netflix. What was life without Gossip Girl, Orange is the New Black, Suits and Pretty Little Liars? More productive? Arguably! But a whole lot less “informed” as to Manhattan life and prison antics, that’s for sure! And thank you for trying, oh so desperately, to repair my truly shockingly long list of “nope, sorry, haven’t seen that film”. Thank you for teaching me that It Is Okay. In all senses. Thank you for teaching me that, sometimes, more often that not, total strangers have the potential to be the absolute best of friends. Thank you for teaching me that being myself is enough.

Pancake day supplies from home friends!

Yas can't handle the late nights!

Anxiety through the roof..but all about those "experiences"

You will survive!

You taught me how to live. The highs and the lows. And for that, regardless of whether, Third Year done, we continued living together/would find each other in TP and dance the nights away, or whether we simply smiled as we passed each other in the library, buried under a pile of books, my Fresher Friends and the memories we share, will always be a part of me. I wouldn’t change it for the world. Thank you for the memories, you crazy bunch. You bought me time, you started to teach me how to live, you showed me a world outside of test scores, and you accepted me for everything I was and everything I was yet to become. Thank you for making me “much more…muchier”.

Here’s to the future and all that’s yet to come– I’ll toast you with my champagne, true to Exetaaah expectations. Of course.

Anything IS possible.