July 12, 2017, by Lucy

5 Things the University Has Made Me Do

1. Pick Comfort Over Style

If you’ve even done as much as drive past the University Park Campus, you will know that the place is BIG. Fair play to you if you are willing to sacrifice blisterless feet in the name of fashion, but I on the other hand found myself calling my trainers my new bffs. Despite wanting to don a jazzy pair of loafers or my new pair of chunky heels, come mid-October it became clear that trainers were the way forward and a wonderful love affair began.

2. Say ‘Duck’ and ‘Aup’ When Greeting People

As regional dialects go, the dialect of the East Midlands is pretty unique. Whether calling people ‘duck’ or replacing a simple ‘hello’ with ‘aup’ is a Nottinghamshire or a Derbyshire thing is a hotly debated topic, nonetheless it is still a novelty for those outside of the region. The dialect is so prominent that it has even prompted the development of local gift shops and has caught the attention of Angelina Jolie. The English language is amazing, isn’t it, duck?

3. Make Use of Public Transport

Before university, the idea of public transport filled me with dread. However, the transport network in and around the city is second to none with bus, train and tram connections being vast and organised. Thanks to the amazing system in place, I found myself making use of the weekends to explore what the city has to offer.

4. Chat, Chat, Chat

Unlike other cities, London I’m looking at you, Notts favours communication. Whether it’s thanking the bus driver for the journey or giving directions to a complete stranger, talking is not  an exclusive activity. Coming from a notoriously shy person, the warmth in Nottingham is enough to have anyone cracking talking.

5. Solve Problems With Food

University can be stressful, there’s no secret about that. Although my friends and I might not have faced the same specific issues, we were always united by our love for food. Whether we found ourselves having a DMC over a cuppa and a few biscuits, or if we decided to gorge on a takeaway, food was always a comfort. Where words are too much or too hard to comprehend, food will be there to offer its delicious medicine. Now, put the kettle on for us, will ya?

Posted in Lucy