After securing my place at university last summer, I began frantically buying furniture and utensils for my first home away from home. University halls. My flat was to be in Britten House and soon I had everything from linen baskets to tupperware to house in it. I had even spoken to all of my soon-to-be housemates and bought my freshers ticket for my first week. I moved in on a warm Sunday in September.
Fast forward three days and I am searching from my prison cell window to the car-park below for the familiar Ford. My eyes were brimming with tears as I saw my mum and my Grandad pull up beside me, a boot filled with the same cardboard boxes I had used to transport my things just days ago.
It took me about an hour to realise that university halls were not for me. Looking back, I don't know how I fooled myself into thinking that I could handle living with 11 other people. I enjoy my own company, my own space and the quiet far too much. I was so lucky to be able to move back home and keep my place at university. Thankfully I was accepted into my top choice university (UEA), otherwise the commute to Nottingham would have taken up quite some time...
As it is, my commute is a four hour round trip. If I leave a lecture at 4, I know that if I run for the bus I'll make my train and be home at 6 for dinner. It's tedious and it's tiring and it makes it much harder to attend 9am lectures than rolling out of bed in halls and making the 5 minute walk to the lecture theatre. But, it is a million times better than the alternative. I realise now that I need my own space to keep my sanity. And the train isn't so bad, I can generally read a book - provided it's not the commuter train with the whiney private school kids.
Five months later, my partner and I are flat-hunting. We both attend universities in Norwich and I can't wait to move out properly this time. To do it with someone I love and trust and to make it the next adventure in our relationship. Hopefully I'll last longer than 3 days this time...
No comments:
Post a Comment