Monday... first day, first week, first semester, first year; all the firsts come to light. University Campus Suffolk (U.C.S.) in Ipswich, ironically, was not my first choice university. However, my grades from my A-level exams did not reflect my determination to succeed in one of England's leading institutions, University of East Anglia in Norwich, thus leading to them declining me as I had not met their terms in their 'conditional offer', and I happily accepted my second choice.
We have to remember that sometimes what we refer to as 'fate' can shape our futures and determine us as a person. It is therefore possible, without going into too much detail, that some things in our lives are meant to happen... and for the better...
I was one of the first to arrive to the induction lecture, which was a general welcome from the university and the Provost, and as I sat in the lecture theatre, I sat as nervous as a rabbit, as excited as a bouncing bean (not literally) and yet as calm as a student. I recalled the students from my A-levels at Suffolk New College, which was not far from the building within which I was now sitting, who said they would attend this particular university. As each student strolled through the door as I had, looked at the big room as I had, and sat down as I had, it became clear to me that several million other students across the country were 'in the same boat' as me in an induction lecture, not necessarily on the same day, and I now felt that I could sympathize with all the students in the past who had experienced the same 'first day nerves'.
I was rather glad to see Ezra, one of my flatmates, who sat nearby, and even more pleased when I saw the number of us that had come from the same College... there was, maybe, seven of us, some of whom I recognised, and some of whom I hadn't met... My friends from College each came through the door, and we all kind-of sat near to each other. It was rather comforting having some of my College friends there with me; already this place felt like home.
As we sat down on the back row in the room for this afternoon's English-specific introductory lecture, we saw a guy sitting in the corner. He looked a little lonely, thus when we were given the chance we chatted to him. It turns out he was Anthony, from Hull, and he seemed to be kind and well-mannered. It is no wonder, then, that on this day we made friends with him, and I as associated myself to his accent and his attitudes I quickly became a best mate, and he too became my best mate...
At around 4pm, late afternoon, we entered a pool tournament organized by and in the UCS Student Union bar. We lost, but had a great time, and afterwards at about 7pm after all the fun of hitting the cue ball, our little clad of 'English students' (me, Anthony, Emma and Leah) attended a Pub Tour of Ipswich. Apart from Anthony, me Emma and Leah were locals and came along for the fun. We visited Pals, The Swan, The Rep, Robert Ransomes, McGinties, Dakotas (a bar and club which used to be Edwards restaurant - can't remember as, for the first time in my life, I was drunk), and then off to nightclub Liquid for the student & rock night.
We met up with some of Anthony's flatmates inside the club, and when The Proclaimers' "500 Miles" song was played we seemed to be having a lot of fun as we did some sort of arm-in-arm Irish folk dance (I think it was Irish). One of the best nights of my life... EVER!!!
