University Life

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Background

I am currently studying my first year of aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Southampton University. This is an MEng, 4-year course. I have been spending the first year living in one of the halls of residence. Below is an account of my experiences and observations.

Year 1: Halls

Arriving fresh from school

Having possibly only visited this new place one or twice on open days it comes as quite a shock to realize that for the next year this will be your home, and more worryingly, your life. Arriving at reception and collecting the keys really confirms it, and as you make your way to your new room you pass walls, doors and building that seem to make no sense. A single key turn and unveiled in front is the room, admittedly smaller than you'd like, that you can call yours, so of course you move in. Unload all the bits and pieces from the car that you think you'll need to get you through this, half of which you probably wont use, but it is helpful to have stuff to make it feel like home.

The whole process of unloading and togging through the flat carrying bits of computers, posters and books allows you the most special view of everyone else doing exactly the same. People that you will become friends with later now just seem like strange collections of arms and legs, no real personality or anything remotely familiar. So, you get everything inside and proceed with arranging it into a slightly less unordered pile, and get familiar with the room. It's useful to remove the boxiness of it by plastering bits with posters and towels¹ as well as placing lots of books around to remind you that work should be done here.

The long farewell

The moment approaches. The very moment your parents have been dreading for about 18 years. The moment you've probably been dreading for anything from 5 years to a little over 5 minuets. You parents leave, as they must, in order for you to evolve into a student, but it is tough, and the scale of the situation your in hits home. Strange new town, strange new people (some very strange) strange new type of work. It's going to be strange, different, but hopefully fun.

The first evening

It is a good idea to prop open your door so that people wondering buy can pop in and say hello, a useful, if scary, task. Possibly head yourself to the nearest meeting point, such as a kitchen and find anyone to chat to. Have no worries about not having anything to say as there are always the failsafe 3 question that everyone³ asks:

So, what is your name?

Where do you come from?

What are you studying?

These set you off on a good footing to launch to an 'oh yes, that's interesting' answer, do try to consume all the information that is said, though you will no doubt ask everyone these question about 3 more times (took me about 2 months to learn everyone’s names).

There will possibly be some variety of impromptu party that evening, where you can meet lot of new people and, if desired, consume alcohol. Ignore all requests by hall staff to be quiet, it's your first night!

The Beginning

Well it’s now time to find your way around the University which can be difficult, especially if it’s not on one campus. There are some things to do like signing your name on bits of paper, registering with a doctor and having introductory talks. This week will seem horrendous now but when you look back on it in the future you’ll wonder how you ever survived it. There may be these events held where you can see and sign up to many of the societies that exist. It’s also often a source of many freebees and stuff for you to sort out. Generally the first week is for getting to know your surroundings, missing home and meeting plenty of new strangers. But just remember that strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet⁴

So onward to the term experience, though only now it’s ‘semester⁵’. Generally there will be many lectures⁶ to go to of which you can turn up to some, more or all of them, however due to the exams it is generally a good idea to go to them as they teach you things you otherwise didn’t know. Seminars also exist which are similar yet reassuringly different from lectures and of which I have none.

The first week should be no more than just introductory talks with lost of handouts and general things to remember. These lectures, though seem irrelevant, do allow you to meet the fellow students you will be working with for the next three to five years in a comfortable environments and mean that you can form at least one good friend by the end of the week. Scarily enough some of the people may even be friends after university, for life.