“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”
Welcome back, readers, to this week’s column where I’ll be writing about the first week of uni on exchange in the UK. I initially thought that studying on exchange would be a cool additional thing to have on my record, which is completely true, but, dear reader, it has been so much more than that in just the 2 odd weeks I’ve been here.
Now, the trip was surely one of the most stressful moments of my life, however I have moved past my embarrassment and am now celebrating that I made it here.
If you’re like me and haven’t stopped working since your first job, you’ll be amazed at the immense serenity and peace of mind you’ll have studying abroad. Not a single thought other than to study and travel. Fortunately for me, I got my Australian citizenship just in time to request a nice little loan from UOW. I was sceptical about it at first because I obviously don’t like being in debt (especially in this economy) but I must say it was well worth it. Rent is paid. Fees come later. My mind is at peace for now.
With this peace, I started focusing on reading (I do English literature) and delved right into my reading list for the semester. To my satisfaction, I saw that a few books on the list I had already studied last year but others were completely unknown. Of course, I had read the first book days in advance to my first class so I was all set. Obviously, we didn’t even get to talk about the book because I had forgotten that the first classes are all about introductions and whatever.
This first class was in the lovely clock-tower building called the Trent building. A building that had been opened and inaugurated by King George V in 1928 although the university has been open since 1881 as a college. Einstein, Gandhi and H.G. Wells have all been to the university as guest lecturers. It’s safe to say I was overwhelmed with joy when walking to class for the first time, imagining these three legends walking the same way 100 years ago, especially since I had just read a Rebecca West novel and was turning over thoughts of her writing in my mind.
Of course, I had only been in the country for a week and didn’t know anyone on campus or in classes yet but I had fun anyway just exploring campus a bit more and going to my classes.
My first class was my Modernist Literature class and I remember giving myself a little pep talk before going in to remind myself to talk during seminars (tutorials) and I did. (It’s safe to say that I am now in week 5 and haven’t talked since but at least I did in the first class.) First impressions are important. If you’re quiet after that no one really cares. Anyway, I answered some questions and felt my face become very hot with embarrassment but at least I did it and then went home.
I’ve had some issues with my timetable since I’ve been here so I could only manage to get into 3 classes rather than 4 (which is fine) but it just means that I don’t really have a lot of classes – only one seminar and one lecture for each. So, my first day I only had that one class of an hour and then came home.
At that point, I still didn’t really have much food in the cupboards so I passed the IGA and grabbed another one of those microwaveable meals that had sustained me for the first week of being in the UK. I warn you, readers, those meals may look and taste nice but the result is not a nice one…
I slowly started making myself feel at home in my tiny little room and changed my sheets to much more comfortable ones that didn’t feel like I was sleeping on paper. (It sounded it too.) I also put up my photos I brought with me of my friends and family and put all my books up on the shelf. I made a few changes to the room and then plummeted into a deep sleep of a full 10 hours.
The next couple of days were pretty much the same. I attended my classes and came home to study. Called my family and friends with the horrible 11 hour difference to tell them everything and went to sleep early. By this time I had already defeated the jet-lag and gotten a good routine going. This didn’t last very long but at least it was nice while it did.
One of my other classes I went to in my first week was called Old English: Reflection and Lament. I don’t know why I hadn’t realised it was actually translating Anglo-Saxon English into modern-day English but it definitely caught me by surprise. I took one look at the verb table and got horrid flashbacks of my days in Italy conjugating latin verbs. Rosae, Rosarum, Rosis. Gosh, what a nightmare!
Finally, the last subject I went to on my first week was across campus (about a 10 minute walk for normal pace, 20 for me) in the physics building. Why? I have no idea. But the lecturer was so funny it doesn’t even matter anymore. I gladly walk over just for the absolute legend that is my lecturer. Honestly, the closest thing to a comedy show I’ve ever been to. I also made a friend in that class and we went for a coffee back in the building I was in. You know, 20 minutes away. We had a nice chat and then I found a hair in my food so, naturally, the mood was ruined and I just went home.
All in all, I think my first week at a different university went pretty well. I didn’t get excessively lost or die on my way to class or back so I think it was a success.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my first week of university on exchange and if you did make sure to catch next week’s column for more stories about my travels and my horrible, horrible planning skills.