Pen and paper at the ready

Anyone that knows me will know that I obsessively write lists. When discussing anything, no matter how small, it's not uncommon for me to suddenly burst out "I'll write a list!" and scurry off to find a pen and paper. Not so long ago I decided it was absolutely vital that i always keep a pen and paper on me, for those moments when i feel too many things mounting up, and a list needs to be written.
I've always been the same. When I was a kid I would write lists about absolutely EVERYTHING. One of my uncle's favourite things to tell people about is the fact that used to 'write lists about writing lists'. I'm not even sure I know how this works, but apparently I used to do it.
So, that said, it has been used as my coping method since I got to uni-and actually before I moved. Currently I can count about 3 different lists I have on the go, and am about to start writing another. To Do lists, reading lists, shopping lists- the list (ha) is endless!
Did I just write another list about lists?
I feel like I have my life in order when I write the lists. I don't necessarily have to cross a lot of them off in one day, but just having it in front of me gives me a guideline, a motivation. I can already tell that lists are going to be my saviour in uni.

Week 1: Freshers Flu

I'm just over halfway through my first week in Manchester, and I'm bed ridden with a cold. I have gone out every night this week already, and it seems that freshers flu has come around a little early for me. Keen to see the bright side in every situation, however, it has given me the opportunity to reflect on what has happened so far.

The power of social networking

Making friends is always everyones first worry when it comes to university, and Facebook helps this concern out massively. The university english department set up a Facebook page for all first years to join and ask any questions that they had. This made it a lot easier to be able to see the the of people that were on my course, and get to know some people before I even got there. I noticed that one girl had said that she felt like she was already behind on the reading list, which made me feel a lot better because I felt exactly the same. I added her and we got chatting about the course and the reading list, and we became friends almost instantly. We arranged for us to both go out on the first night, which we did, and it really broke the ice. It meant that we both had someone to go to the welcome lecture with on the monday morning, and it set my mind at ease.

Great Expectations

Having said my rather emotional goodbyes with everybody, and with the car packed to burst it was time to start my journey- literally and figuratively. Having spent almost 4 hours in the car, by the time I got to Manchester I was a ball of nerves (and busting for the loo). There was a mis-hap with my accommodation and rather than being in the commercialised, university halls I had to go into private halls, which means I share a flat with 2nd, 3rd and postgrad students. I was definitely worried about this, but I figured that U would just venture into another flat to find fellow first years. 

However, as soon as I got here it became apparent that this would be harder than anticipated. These private halls are a million miles away from what I expected, and everyone seems to keep themself to themselves. The girls in my flat are really nice- well the ones that I have met are! They hardly come out of their rooms, though and so it is hard, near impossible, to socialise with them. Whilst dis-heartening, I wasn't too worried because I figured I would meet so many other people in uni that I could just go out with them. So, tired but excited to start uni, on the monday morning me and Hannah (Facebook friend) went in to meet the rest of the people on the course. I don't really know what I was expecting, perhaps that I would walk into a room and people would surround me and that we would instantly be best friends, but the reality was incredibly sobering. I struggled my way through 4 or so hours of lectures, personal tutor groups and a bit of waiting around before I returned to my flat and sobbed. I hadn't met many people, and those I had met either didn't want to go out much or had their own group of friends (i.e their flatmates) to go out with. I felt completely alone, and that I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. After a motivational talk from my mum 'keep smiling, and go for a walk' I decided that it wasn't the end of the world. It was, after all, only my first full day in Manchester. I think it was the prospect of spending the night alone in my room that made me so upset, and the thought that this was what it would be like. However, shortly after getting off the phone to my mum, a girl who i had met earlier that day text me asking me if i wanted to go out with her and her flatmates. I did, of course, take her up on that offer. We went to a gig, which i thought would be really busy and full of freshers but it turned out to be rather empty, and not a freshers event at all. I was tired, over emotional and out of my comfort zone, so I called it a night and decided that tomorrow was a new day.

Moving on up 

The next morning I made the effort to put on my best smile and force myself to be confident, chatty and inquisitive. For people in the uni halls they made friends naturally, my situation meant that I would have to be more pro-active about it. Now I've been out every night of this week and have been shopping in the city centre with new friends (i have also already opted out of a planned welcome session for my course to go and get drunk in the pub with Hannah). I'm glad to say that although it was a bad start, the best is yet to come for sure. 

Putting my relationship to the test

Moving nearly 200 miles away is hard enough, but it's made that bit harder when I have a boyfriend to think about. being a writer is my ultimate dream, and Manchester is the best place for this to happen. Sacrifices have to be made, and not being able to see my boyfriend every day is one of them. By far, saying goodbye to him was the hardest thing to have to do, but I know that he supports me in what i'm doing, and has done everything he can to help me so far. Already i have doubted whether I am doing the right thing, but only time will tell. 

Introduction

Hi, allow me to introduce myself!
I'm lucy and I've just started uni in manchester. I live in cardiff, so the 200 mile move was no mean feat. I am just commensing freshers, and before I moved I thought it would be a good idea to document my first term in uni, living away from my usual crowd. I made a vow with myself to be brutaly and plainly honest about my experience- good and bad!
I decided to write this blog to allow all of my friends, family and blog readers to be able to see whats realy going on with me up here. This means I will talk about the course itself (english and creative writing) the people I meet, adjusting to living in a new place and how i cope living in a different city to my boyfriend, closest friends and family. It's the nitty-gritty student life dirt, if you will!
More to follow!