Time flies when you’re having fun. My first year at uni
certainly has and all in all it’s been a good year. I’ve learnt things about
life, myself and of course journalism.
There are certain things that I think just have to be done
in your first year at university to be a top fresher. I’d like to think I’ve
done a few of them.
Joining a society is definitely something I would encourage
to any first year. It’s just another new group of people to mingle with. The
Winchester Volleyball team has given me a lot of entertainment over the past
few months and holds several of my highlights from the year.
The great thing about joining a society, particularly sports
is that at Winchester at least, and I’m sure at other universities, it’s not
all serious and competitive. People do join for the social aspect which is
definitely what I did and it’s fair to say that volleyball is a team that
prides itself on being more of a social team.
For a lot of sports societies the big event is sports tour
which I decided to buy a ticket for just a few days before the January deadline
and I’m so glad I did. It was one of the best weeks ever and a proper boozy,
student time. It’s even quite fun as a fresher to get dicked on by seniors. I
would advise anyone on a sports team to go on tour, it’s not to be missed.
Of course it’s not all fun and games. One of the major
factors of being a student is finance. I was one of the lucky ones in that my
loan and grant covered my accommodation with a good amount left over for
myself. I also had a fair bit saved up from my job back home. Seriously though,
never underestimate how much money you will need as a student. A tenner here, a
fiver there, it all adds up. I just about survived until the end of second
semester and came two pounds from my overdraft. Luckily I now have a job in
Winchester and its treating my bank account nicely.
I really wouldn’t wait around to get a part time job. I
started looking properly in January and didn’t have one until the end of March
and looking at the circumstances, it was pure luck that I went there for lunch
with my mum and happened too ask about any jobs.
Although it may not be the most fun summer, I’m staying in
Winchester for the majority to work and save for year two. Also I don’t know
how long I’m going to be able to keep it once second year starts. With 9/10am
starts every day I don’t know how long I’ll be able to cope with getting home
at 4am from working at a bar. I do love the job though and I definitely prefer
the people to
my last job.
Let’s now not forget the reason I’m at university; the
degree. I think you know after the first few weeks if you made the right choice
or not and I know I did. The course itself is awesome and the people on it are
also great. The good thing about doing journalism at Winchester is that it’s
not a big course in terms of the number of students. There’s about 40 of us
which means there’s no excuse to not at least know everyone’s name. The great
thing about a smaller course as well is that it’s much easier to be social with
each other outside of lectures. There have been many a pub trip and nights out
to the SU with journalism.
Now that first year is coming to an end it’s a weird feeling
knowing that I won’t see my closest uni friends for three months. It’s also
weird to think I’ll be moving into a proper house in July. I think that’s when
it will hit that I am no longer a fresher and everything piece of work I do
actually matters, so it’s not okay to scrape through with a 40% because I was out
the night before.
However, if this year’s anything to go by, second year’s
going to be a blast (okay, with a bit work work!)
R.
