September 23, 2017, by Lucy
A Letter to my Freshers’ Self
Oi Lucy,
Calm down.
Going to university is a nerve racking experience for everyone. As much as you hate clichés, for once in your life, embrace the idea that ‘everyone in is in the same boat’. I know you’re having restless nights right now: you are not the most social, party-mad or smartest person around, but let it go. University is a time to meet new people and try new things, embrace your awkwardness and let go of your fear of embarrassment! Nobody else knows each other so stop thinking that they all have it against you from day one: they want and need friends as much as you do.
No matter how hard you try you just can’t shake off all your shyness, can you? Fight against the overwhelming urge that is in you and stop your room from becoming your primary habitat. All it takes is for you to escape the boundaries of those four walls for you to become one step closer to adapting to life as a university student. You are not the only one out there who has this problem and you will meet people along the way who understand you fully and who accept you in all your hermit ways. Although you are 100% hermit, you will regret not socialising more during Freshers’ week. Trust me.
You have, and still do have, a natural predisposition to look grumpy 24/7. No matter how much fun you are having, you have to actively control your face in order to persuade people that you are, indeed, not internally sad. Remember this. Try to smile more, show some teeth! You’ll thank me for it when you look back at pictures of this time, even if your downcast face does cause some funny stories to occur later on in the year.
Before you saw Notts, you were adamant that you would attend a university on the other side of the country, as far away from home as possible. Now, here you are, in Nottingham, despite your Derby roots. Nothing you can do can change where you came from so you may as well suck up Derbados in all its glory and embrace the fact that it’s ‘only down the road’. Also, you should start thinking now about whether you’re a Southerner or a Northerner because apparently the Midlands doesn’t exist. Sadly, I cannot tell you which is the correct opinion because there doesn’t seem to be one. It will never not be a source of debate. Seriously.
Finally, whatever you do, just make sure you have fun. University is the only time in your life where you will be surrounded by so many diverse people with so many different passions and interests, it would be a waste to spend the time in misery.
Lots of Luck,
Lucy from the future
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