Nervous start
Many people are understandably scared of the prospect of university, asking questions along the lines of; will I meet any friends? How difficult will my subject be? And will I be lonely?
Whilst Durham had been my first choice of uni, and I was so happy that I got in, I still had these fears and doubts. As a state educated girl from the North studying the male dominated field of law, I was worried that I wouldn’t find anyone that I could relate to. Ridiculous, nightmare scenarios that I would be the only person with a strong accent and that I would be left out or behind others from private schools plagued my thoughts. However, since starting at Durham this year I realised I could not have been more wrong.
First lecture
The first lecture I walked I was met with hundreds of people from not just all over the country but all over the world chatting to each other and sharing experiences. In only the first week I met people from Singapore, Malaysia, India, Lebanon and well as people from closer to home, the closest being only a 15-minute drive away! It instantly made me feel less alone and self-conscious, as I could chat to people and discover they too had been worried about the law course. Suddenly that sea of people streaming into the lecture theatre became less intimidating and I understood that it was people’s differences that brought them closer together. Yes, we all looked different and came from different places but that very difference made people feel less singled out.
College community
Some of my favourite memories of the first week are when I was talking to someone new and we introduced where we were from and our colleges, the starter kit for any Durham University introduction! The college system here at Durham reduced my sense of isolation, I met another girl from the North doing law on my very first day meaning I did not have to walk to lectures alone. Even if people are not part of your college, you still had an easy conversation starter to ask how they are finding their college, especially their bar! For me the college system broke down the enormity of university, allowing for a space where I could feel at home away from my academic studies as well as a sense of community through the different events available such as formals, societies and seasonal activities.
A positive experience
Looking back on how nervous I was before enrolling at Durham, I would tell myself that it is much less intimidating than it seems. There is a lot of change as well as new people to meet but it is such a positive and enriching experience to talk to people you may never have had the chance to talk to before and to see/do something out of your comfort zone. I honestly don’t know why I worried so much!
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