For most January is the frightening exam season; more so for first years since it is such a sudden leap from the layout and expectations of Sixth Form, Senior Year, Terminale – whatever the study period before moving onto University is called in your country. However with my course (Film and TV) I only experienced this through my friends since I am just graded through essays and practical projects; so I may have not been revising but I did still have a couple of essays to complete over Christmas – not that this information deterred the good-natured complaints towards me about my lack of exams from my revision-bound friends. A tip if you fall into my position in the future; offer people cake during this time period and only grumble about your deadlines to fellow students with no exams.
So there was no information cramming yet I still came back fairly early after Christmas; only stayed two weeks instead of the technical three – this was a work related choice as I find it a lot easier to gather concentration and motivation to actually do my essays while in Bristol rather than at home. So it was a few days after New Years and my accommodation building was a ghost-town; it was pretty strange but I got my work done – only one of my other flatmates had returned so it was basically a week of nagging at each other to focus; me telling him to revise, him telling me to type. There was also a lot of chocolate eating involved but that was unavoidable since I still had a large collection of Christmas treats left; the snacking habit is still something I haven’t fully kicked yet – I’m gradually trying to get back into the healthy eating routine.
Another first month worry that flies around is the ‘Where am I living next year?’ panic; although realistically the thought begins scratching in the back of the mind early December. Looking at everything now I can tell you the worry is not needed, houses are currently still on the market, people are still finding groups to live with and it’s not a big deal. Yet saying that I can’t deny I may have got caught in the mass panic of renting; we signed for our place on the last day before we broke for Christmas after finding the place we wanted about four days earlier. Although I realise we didn’t need to scramble for a place that early it does feel nice to have it sorted; but like I said, it isn’t a box that needs to be ticked straight away. By the sound of it people start searching sooner and sooner each year simply because the stories of panic get passed down to new first years – and if that rate continues then people are going to be looking for second year accommodation before even starting university; which would simply make no sense.
So hope you’re all having a good start to 2015 – and if you currently have snow; feel my waves of jealousy.
Hannah
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