This month has been the most significant in my life so far for firsts – first time alone overseas, first time in Europe, first time living alone and my first experience of a ‘fresher’s’ week. This entry in itself is a first for me! Technically I am in the second year of my degree, so I’m not a fresher. This did in no way stop me from sporting (and old-school fist pumping) my fluro yellow fresher’s band with pride.
My exchange experience began last Tuesday, with the first few days of my study abroad spent doing the International Welcome Programme at the University of Nottingham and living on campus with other students in the same position as me coming from countries all over the world. My first week can only be described as a total contrast from what I experienced this week, with all events non-alcoholic and a predominant focus on adjusting.
My first week consisted of a lot of uni tours and presentations, briefing me in little cultural adjustments I would have to face – such as hailing a bus down when it comes for you (this I did quite theatrically the first few times, with my hailing essentially mirroring a star-jump with jazz hands). When I had the chance to hit the city centre alone one day to have lunch in a bar, I found myself making friends with three new Nottingham-ites who were ex art students and more than happy to have a few drinks with me – something so friendly was just what I needed during my first few days! I also went with a few girls I met during the week to the nightclub Oceana on Friday night, an experience that was nothing like my nights there during freshers due to the number of hen parties going on and men the same age as my dad having what we call in Australia a ‘knock-off drink’ (a drink when you finish work, no matter what time of day). However, this weirdly made me feel at home, knowing clubs and bars that are exactly like this at home and having a giggle with the girls at what we had entered into.
On four hours of sleep (not a first, but definitely a foreshadow for the week to come), I moved into my accommodation the next day and officially welcomed fresher’s week. This was something 100% new to me, as we have nothing like it at home. We have an ‘O week’, basically including orientation to the academic side of uni, with maybe one or two society held pub crawls during the week – nothing like nightly-themed parties and club nights. I was excited to party after everything I’d heard and I feel that it is safe to say that I have definitely partied!
I proudly made it out from Sunday to Tuesday, happily going along with each dress up theme and taking advantage of the weirdly cheap jäger bombs each night. Drinks in clubs in themselves had me facing a culture shock, with Sambuca something unheard of in Aus. but so common here. Even the common mixed drink of coke and vodka is something that is never consumed at home – I actually asked the bartender for a vodka and raspberry (which is our ‘vodka and coke’) and she gave me a funny look and gave me cranberry juice instead! What an odd point of difference between the two cultures, but definitely something easy to get past. I guess they all have the same effect on us at the end of the day, despite our nationality, which was something I was very willing to embrace with my newfound British Fresher friends.
To briefly continue on that point, this has been the first month I have HAD to make friends. Ever. It is a necessity. Even in starting high school or uni back home I knew one or two people, or could at least see my other friends on weekends. Here I came totally alone, which was petrifying! Luckily, every single person I have met – whether they are from London, or Newcastle, or Germany or Norway – has been unprecedentedly friendly. Although I have had to explain to pretty much everyone that yes, it does get cold in Australia, and no I don’t surf – I even got called ‘Sheila’ by a bartender when I showed him my ID. Safe to say I was not impressed!
Edited by Jayde Richards.