First Day - Tuesday 23rd September 2008

The first day at Uni wasn't exactly my first time there but it was the first time I had met my actual tutor and the other students on my course. I should explain that I am doing Extended Science. This is a 4 year degree, 1 year of intensive Science catch-up followed by the normal 3 year degree. I have chosen Environmental Biology to progress onto after Extended Science.
We all piled into the lecture theatre, (170 of us) and Dr David Harwood our main tutor for the year and a chemistry tutor came in and talked forever!
He discussed all the boring stuff we needed to know, timetables, student handbook, blah blah much of the same things I had been told at the Mature Students Day but most of the other students had not heard.
I began to get very concerned that his voice was a little dull and the scheduled lectures are very long. The lecture seemed to go on forever and ever. It was in reality only 2 hours but with no break it was a bit of a shock to the system!
After this lecture we were dismissed. I fled the building as I was very overwhelmed. Outside, after smoking a calming cigarette I noticed a sign that said 'Free Tea and Coffee' with an arrow pointing to the church so off I went. Inside I climbed the stone steps and was greeted by a really lovely friendly guy called David. He is the church Chaplain and he made me a cup of tea.
It was really nice to actually talk to someone. I had had this strange feeling beforehand in the lecture of being lonely and claustrophobic. Strange when with so many people to feel lonely, I know but it can be very isolating when you know noone. I had forgotten what it was like to actually talk.
I stayed in the church until I felt better and then had my meeting with Dissability Assist. I had to fill in forms for extra funding and discuss how Uni was going so far. I was congratulated for not fleeing home and staying on campus at the church which cheered me up and made me feel like less of a failure. I realised I had infact stayed for the entire lecture and only freaked out after it and not gone home. This is progress! I felt better after this meeting.
At lunch time, Katie came in to visit and to see if she could sign up for a course in primary education teaching. Unfortunately since she had left it a bit late in the year to join, there were no places left on the course of her choice but she is on a list of people to enrol for next year and will be called in for meetings in the year.
Since she was on campus we decided to make the most of it. The church was hosting a talk with free lunch so we went along to the hall to join in. We had a great buffet lunch, pasties, sausage rolls, chicken drumsticks, crisps etc followed by a not so great talk. Many people left after the lunch and many more left as Jesus was mentioned. Katie had to leave after the talk to get back to Sam as Saleh would be leaving for work.
I walked with Katie into town then we went to her place for the evening. All in all a good day!