Jonathon Wardman

So this is University?

Well, this is the first of many posts I will be making from here in my university room for the next year!

I’ve been here for 3 nights now (Sunday to Tuesday), and things are going OK.  The room is all right – its about the size you would expect for university accommodation, and its actually not too shabby.  I’ve got a friend, Geraint, who is in the most recent college here, Pendle, and his room is only a little bigger…the only thing which I would really like to swap (in terms of the halls, anyway) would be the kitchen – ours is small and pretty grotty, whereas his is big and nicely fitted out (its even got proper cupboards, which is more than ours!).  Being on the ground floor is alright, but there are a few things which are annoying – it gets quite warm in my room (well, at the moment at least.  I think it might get cold in winter because the window seems a little draughty), so its nice to have the window open to let in some fresh air, but I can’t leave it open when I go out because it would be easy for someone to just climb in and take things.  Also The room is a little overlooked.  My window looks right out at block 10, and the upper floors of that can see into my room, and at my desk, which is a little disturbing.

The people on my corridor are all right.  I mean we all seem to get on with each other alright – no one really dislikes anyone else – but I don’t think any of them will be the kind of people I make long-term friends with, or actually go out places with for that matter.  I guess I’m quite lucky in that way – I already know someone else in the university, and so I have a nice group of transferable friends.  The people on his corridor are a lot better than mine.  I think, perhaps, its because there is a mix of male and female there, so the balance of things is a little different compared to our place…but I don’t think that’s all it is…I guess its just a better lot there.  Either way, they all seem to be alright, and I think I might become an honorary member of their corridor.

Actually I went out with them all last night on their Sugar House night.  The Sugar House is the student owned/run nightclub in the city centre, and they are putting on three different ticket only nights to cover all the colleges in the university this week.  Pendle’s was last night, and I went as Geraint’s guest.  The club itself is nice once you get into the back room (there are three rooms, the first one you go into isn’t quite so impressive, and the second is just a bar), but its a bit pricey, though they said that there are often offers and things (and actually last night there was a 2 for one offer on bottles).  As I don’t drink I managed to get though about 5 pints of Orange and Lemonade in the course of the evening, and then had the fun of watching the rest of them when they were drunk.  Afterwards we went back to Geraint’s corridor’s kitchen and sat for a while talking, before they all went to bed and I made my way back to my college.  I got to bed at about 4am in the end.  It was a good night out overall (even if I can’t get the cross off my hand telling them I can get a free bus home!)!

There is something else I need to write about concerning that night…but I think I will save that for later, hehe.

I’m missing Natalie so much.  It doesn’t seem like its been only 4 nights since I saw her last…it feels longer…and I miss her.  I’ve been in contact every night so far one way or another – either on the phone or text messages and things – and now we both have email access, we can email each other as well which will be nice.  But I think about her all the time, and when I go to bed I snuggle up with the teddy which she bought me last valentines…but its not the same as being able to see her and be with her.  I’ve also put a copy of the picture I have or me and her in my room at home on the notice board in front of me, so I can look at that, but I want a hug from her and I want to be with her.  I don’t know when we will get to see each other again, I hope not too long.  I would like to go and stay with her for a night or two as well at some point soon, but she is still in a double room, so its a bit awkward at the moment.  She can come here at some point, but its not really possible until I get everything sorted out with timetables and things, so maybe after next week she can come and visit.  I’d like that.

For now though I have to get on with all the registration and things – today I went to talks from the major departments I want to sign up with.  I think I will stick to what I thought origionally – I’m going to take Electronic Engineering as my minor.  I have to sign up for that tomorrow at 1pm, and then I think that’s pretty much all the paperwork and signing up and things done!  I actually became a member of the university on Monday and got my NUS card then as well, Tuesday I met my personal welfare tutor person (the person I go to if I have problems and things) and then met my major department.

Tonight I think I might have a quiet night in – its my college’s night at the Sugar house, but as I went out last night I think I might just sit in and watch a film or something, have to see what else is going on.