Jonathon Wardman

7th October 2003

I think I understand why this university has the highest suicide rate of universities in this country – when it rains its a depressing place…and it seems to rain all the time.  There are a couple of things which add up to give it a depressing air really, I recon: 1) there is the constant drone of the motorway (the M6) most places you go (admittedly I am on the end of campus that it goes closest to, but you can hear it over most of the site) – you don’t tend to notice it really as obvious, but if you listen you can hear it there, and I’m sure that it has some kind of psychological effect; 2) A lot of the buildings on campus are concrete or red brick build around paved areas (more on the other end of campus, to be fair, there is quite a lot of greenery on this end); 3) The whole place is a bit of a maze of passages and walkways which always seem to be dark (I guess that would be mainly because of the fact that they are surrounded by the buildings, so don’t get much natural light!); and then there is the rain.  So far, in the week and a bit I have been here, it seems to have rained almost every single day.  Alright, it didn’t rain today, but most of the other days it has rained at least once.  When it does rain the place gets even more depressing.  Add to that the fact that there is a lot of development going on (they are building a new science and computing building at one end of the campus, and seem to be doing something with the drains elsewhere), and you have a recipe for depression.

Having said all that, it does have its good points – at this end the accommodation does have lots of grass about, and there are some nice trees which I think would be nice in summer.  Alexandra square would also be nice in summer I think – people seem to meet on the steps and have lunch and just chat, and I can see that being nice in summer.  Also there are rabbits everywhere.  Its really sweet.  They come out at about 4 in the afternoon and just sit on the grass eating until the middle of the night (I have walked home at 4am, and they have all been out still), and they aren’t too scared of people either.  They will hop a bit further away from you if you get too close, but most of the time they just watch you go past and carry on eating.  I think the university encourage them because there seem to be rabbit holes which have been dug into the ground by humans for them to live in.  Its probably a plan to save money on grass cutting.

I know that doesn’t paint a very nice picture of the place, but in actual fact I’m reasonably happy.  In some ways I wish that people on my corridor were more the kind of people I would be friends with, but I guess that can’t be helped, and we do all get on, which is the main thing.  I don’t really know many people at the moment, to tell the truth (the people in Geraint’s block I probably know best), but I think that will change when the societies I have signed up with really get going.  I signed up for Engineering on the radio station (and have been to a meeting about that on Monday night – there was a total of three of us: the current station engineer, another person here for the first time (though he is 20 apparently), and me.  I also had a word with the station’s systems admin, who said he was looking for someone reasonably knowledgeable to replace him because he has too many work commitments, so that’s a possibility.  I also went along to a Theatre Group meeting which was interesting.  The actual talk thing they did was pretty pointless, but we got to talk to people afterwards, so I did, and am quite looking forward to getting involved there.

On the real front (like why I am actually here, lol) I started lectures on Monday.  I have a pretty full timetable all things considered – I think its because I have taken two lab based subjects (which I have to admit I was advised against, but ignored that), and I don’t get a day off like most people *sigh* but I do have some days where I just have like one 1 hour session (like tomorrow).  Electronics is a little dull at the moment – just going though things which I have done at A-Level physics – but I think it should improve.  Computing is also a bit dull (though I have only had one lecture in that, and one practical session which was a waste of time…), but I think they should both get better as time goes on.

Hmmm, I miss Natalie as well.  I miss her like crazy.  Its strange but I think I just got used to her being there (I don’t mean that in a bad way, I mean it in a good way), and now she isn’t I feel like there is this whole big part of me missing.  I’m worried though – I don’t know if she knows how I feel, or if she believes when I say things like that.  I know I’m not very good at explaining things like that, and how I feel, but I really miss her so much.  I’m going to go home this weekend and so is she, so we will be able to see each other there.  I’m so looking forward to that…just to being able to be with her and cuddle for hours.  I miss my Fiancée.