April 11, 2013, by Ollie
Transition: Student to me
Well I’ve been back home now for a few weeks for the Easter break and I have really struggled to think about content for this blog. I was sat thinking, well I’m not in Nottingham. What can I write about that is possibly relevant. I’m not doing anything studenty.
So I thought I’d write about just that, how I’m not being studenty.
The first week was an adjustment. Recovering from the student ‘hangover’, not neccessarily alcohol but the burn out that comes after deadlines. I slept, I watched TV, saw friends and all the usual stuff and then the second week came and the change began to happen.
On Tuesday night with I went to see my beloved Tigers (Hull City Football Club) play against Watford. It was 2nd vs 3rd and so a huge game and after what can only be described as a bit of friendly pre match banter, ‘If we are winning I’ll be keeping you gleefully updated’ (my vocabulary suprises myself sometimes) with my friend a Watford fan to which I received the reply ‘We’ll see how that goes for you’. 90 minutes later, it hadn’t gone very well for me. We’d lost in a particularly unentertaining game with the highlight being a rather large Watford fan invading the pitch at the final whilste, well I say invading the pitch but he was tackled before even making the white line that denoted the pitch and the marshall rather amusingly sat on him as if presenting his catch to the fans.
Match program for the big game!
So part of the transition is noticing that I can do my old past-times again. Tuesday nights are no longer just another night on Facebook when the football is in town.
At University I play football and football and a bit more football but at home it’s as if there is a switch I revert back to my secret sport. Golf. It’s hardly a glorious sport, some people may question if it’s a sport. Well I get tired after walking around for 4 hours so for me it is a sport!
This weekend gone I was in a Yellowball competition (look it up if you are interested but I won’t go into details) and my team came 2nd. Earning us all £10.00 for our endeavours.
bit blurry and it wasn’t a Texas Scramble but the £10.00 is all that matters!
The Masters, perhaps the greatest golfing competition is currently on television, Tiger to redeem his crown if you fancy a punt! Sat watching the Masters I realise how whilst I enjoy playing football, golf is the sport I grew up on. I’ve played since I was 6, maybe not played it well, but played all the same. My greatest sporting achievement came with golf, qualifying for a national handicap competition at Woodhall Spa hosted by the English Golf Union. (Featured image) and below my ‘Gold Medal’ I recieved for winning the entry round.
My English Golf Union 2010 Gold Medal
My New Year’s resolution is to get down to a single figure handicap over the summer. Maybe it’ll be a resolution I can keep to for once! I miss not having the opportunity (financially) to play golf at University, which leads me neatly into the last thing.
My job. Whilst at University I forget that I am still in employment at home as I’m a bit detached from where I work, geographically speaking! This month I’ve been at work, plying my trade and even have a new name badge!
feeling professional
A couple of shifts a week means a) I’m saving up alco… I mean ‘general living’ money and b) not wasting my time doing nothing, being proactive. I love my job, the people, the responsibility so much but at University, I’d hate the responsibility, I need my free-time to relax and do nothing and it’s bizarre how my outlook is completely different.
There are parallels between the me at home and the me at University but there is a definite transition, maybe I haven’t portrayed it as clearly as I feel it. But maybe you guys have experienced this transition too?
Thanks for your really interesting article. I know exactly what you mean about that ‘ transition’. Being at uni, and going “home”, can sometimes be like having two different lives can’t it?, ( which I think you’ve portrayed very well).
I’ve just come back after the Easter break, and feel pleased to be back in Notts. It’s good that you do such a lot of sport, and continue to see old friends back home. What I notice when I go home ( to a little village in Herts), is how much I miss my friends here at uni, as for one reason or another, I haven’t kept in touch with my old friends.
Thanks for reading and thanks for your comment! Yes it can be like two different lives. There is a lot of talk of staying friends with old school friends and at first you convince yourself it’ll be easy. But straddling two lifestyles (University/home) makes it hard to commit to both new and old friends you have. It’s certainly a tought balance.
(posted this twice as unsure if you will have been notified of a the normal comment I made first, rather than a ‘reply’ comment! :’)
Thanks for reading and thanks for your comment! Yes it can be like two different lives. There is a lot of talk of staying friends with old school friends and at first you convince yourself it’ll be easy. But straddling two lifestyles (University/home) makes it hard to commit to both new and old friends you have. It’s certainly a tought balance.