UNI-TIME!

After going through the hustle and bustle of trying to get visa issues resolved, paying my tuition and accommodation fees, trying to keep my room reserved, losing hope, gaining hope, I finally got to Greenwich.

A whole month late!

I was overwhelmed with stress, anxiety and worry, as I am someone who does not like to miss the first day of school. I had never been to the UK before and I did not know anyone in the university; and after I missed freshers’ week, induction and the first week of lectures, I thought, “This is it. My life is over.”  

Oh, but my life wasn’t over yet. It was just starting! When I got here, I emailed my personal tutor, letting her know that I had finally arrived (*1^st piece of advice: try to get in contact with some of your lecturers/tutors before you start uni-it really helps) and she was so helpful! Within a week, I had completed my registration, found my lecture rooms and opened a bank account; within two weeks, I was already catching up with the rest of my tutorial groups.

 I will not lie and say it wasn’t stressful; because it was. However, I received so much support from the lecturers, student centre and random students I met on the campus that the stress was easy to bear and short-lived. I remember once, I was standing in the middle of one of the walkways, trying to figure out where the university cafe was on a map I was given. I was on the verge of frustration because I was starving (you know how I love my food) and my next lecture was in about half an hour...and then this angel flew down and showed me the cafe. Lol...it was another new student who was having a laugh watching me turn the map like I was having a driving lesson. I made a friend through that and since then, things got much easier.  (*2^nd piece of advice: do not be too shy or proud to ask for help; we all need help sometimes and there are people who are ever-willing to help.)

I have been here for 11 months so far and in these months, I have learnt to travel around on my own (I can call myself an expert now.lol), rented rooms by myself, gone for a couple of parties,  learnt how to drive, had interviews, got jobs and met quite a number of influential people.  I have become a more confident and time and money-conscious person because of the things Greenwich has exposed me to; I am still learning but I feel that I am gradually becoming a well moulded young woman.  It has been great so far.

A lot more of my experiences will be coming in up in the posts that follow; and so until then, its adieus!