I only started university last week, but already, I have learnt a lot. Here are some things I picked up during my first week…

1. The first thing people ask you is not your name; it’s your course.
2. Therefore, you will say the name of your course at least five times a day for at least the first week.
3. When you meet people with whom you have neither your course nor accommodation in common, you may say “See you later,” but never spot them again.
4. No matter how much you plan ahead, you will probably end up going to the grocery store at least two days in a row.
5. And that loaf of bread you buy may end up being too big, and you may have to eat sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
6. A campus map, no matter how much it makes you feel like a tourist, is important. And you may end up walking around with your nose buried in it.
7. And if you stay on a big campus, you may walk more than you ever have before (ow, my legs…).
8. Getting laundry done right the first time feels like winning the lottery.
9. Same with making an edible meal without setting the fire alarm off.
10. Your email inbox will flood in the first few weeks. Societies, phone companies, accommodation, societies, departmental emails, bank accounts… and did I mention societies?
11. On any given day, you may have a lecture and a meeting. And the next day, you have five meetings at the same time.
12. And speaking of meetings, no one reminds you of anything. It’s like the first few weeks of university come with a side of paranoia, free! (Or that may just be me…)
13. And finally… you have to do everything yourself, which allows you to understand the value of a home-cooked meal.