Sydney Life

Powers that be suggest that, rather than writing the blogs I enjoy most (you know the type, raving, political, or just plain unusual) I must once again return to the land of “my life as a first year student”. Well, let me give you a cheerful little examination of that other life - the life of the uni student who does not *drum roll please* LIVE ON CAMPUS OR IN A SHARED HOUSE! I LIVE AT HOME WITH MY FAMILY!

Now, I’m sure loads of you do the same. In fact, probably most of you do the same. But, I think we all have to agree (or at least, this has been my experience) that the “uni life” we are all told about is pretty much college life. All the stories of constant drinking, parties till you can’t stand up anymore, friends galore, and late night essay scrambles that would make Ethelred the Unready anxious, are not, in fact, the story of my uni life to date. Now, don’t get me wrong. Uni has been good. And it’s been different from high school. Very different. I probably go out once a week, if not twice. I’ve made lots of new friends, of varying degrees of closeness. I get to sleep in (which I love) and stay up late. But, I also have to take more responsibility for my own life. Whereas once I could get my parents to pay for most things, I now have to pay for a car, text books, uni fees etc all by myself (I’m sure a lot of college kids are the same, but from the many I’ve spoken to, quite a number are living off the fat of their parents). I work (at the Seymour Centre, yet another shameless plug for that great institute) maybe 3-4 nights a week. That’s more than 50% of my week nights gone. And, because I’m a big nerd, I actually like to do my assignments before they’re due, so I generally spend another couple of nights on that. In the end, I’m lucky if I’ve got much free time to go out and have fun.

And, it’s probably having fun and making friends that is the biggest difference between stay-at-homers, and college kids. When you’re in college, you’re with a bunch of people, pretty much 24/7, particularly at the most intimate time of the day – night time. You have to get to know them pretty quickly. In my situation, the friends I make, I might only see once a week in a lecture, or in a tute. Some of the people I met in my very first week, who are staying in colleges, have very much developed a “college clique”, but I have yet to share something similar. I know people, and have new friends, but it’s a disparate mob. I guess, in this capacity, clubs are our great salvation. They provide the opportunity for like-minded people to get together and do whatever their interest entails. But, if you’re like me, and you’ve got loads of friends from school with you already, you can find yourself asking the question “why should I meet new people?” In fact, one of my old school chums famously told me (her identity is irrelevant, because philosophy has taught me it’s all a myth anyway) that “I don’t want to meet new people. They scare me”. Now, while she was over exaggerating, I think it nicely summarised something that I had a bit of a problem with for a while. I got a bit lazy. However, it came to the crunch, and I thought “I want to meet new people”. So, I gathered up the various bits of courage around the house, and took myself, alone and unfriended, to the politics club drink night. And, low and behold, I had a great time. I had FAR too many long island ice teas, and was probably exceptionally above the legal alcohol limit, but it was a good night. Which, I guess brings me to the point of this blog:

If you’re like me, and you’re coming from school to uni, where you’ll already have friends, and you’re not living on campus, DO take the opportunity to stick your hand out and say hello. Don’t fall back on old friends. I’m sure they’re great, but uni is such a wonderful opportunity to meet new people. This is probably easier said than done. And it’s something I’m sure my seniors in this blog have said about a billion times. (If this was a uni essay, I’d be expelled for plagiarising Lauren’s blogs – thanks Lauren, I owe you). And I’m sure you might be thinking “Yeah yeah, they say do it, but it’s really too hard”. Well, I think I probably thought so too for a while. But, now that I’ve changed my tune, I’m better off for it. I still can’t say I’ve met my soul mate. I still have yet to meet that perfect girl who will be my wife (or partner, whatever’s your flavour), but I can say, I have met people who are lovely, genuine, decent people who I’m better off for having known.

Maybe this won’t be your experience. I’m a bit more of a reserved person than some, something that you’d think would be an oxymoron if I was writing a blog, but hey, it’s true. I’d rather people come said hi to me, than me to them. Maybe, you’ll be the one out there, cutting the ice making friends straight away. But, for the love of God, please accept my following tips

1) DO NOT MAKE COMMENT ON THE FACT THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON TALKING IN THE TUTE. NOTHING IS MORE AWKWARD THAN THE GUY WHO SAYS “Hey, I’m the only one talking. Come on guys, I’m doing all the hard work here, breaking the ice”.
2) Don’t be a know-it-all. You just look like a jerk.
3) Do put forward your opinion, but be conciliatory. Don’t cram your rabid hatred of foie gras down everyone’s throat. Remember, some people enjoy fatty foods.
4) Don’t tell people you once tried to join the communist party. I think I permanently scarred my geopolitics tute.
5) Oh, and the last thing, whatever you do, do not make malicious jokes or comments at the expense of women, or minorities. It’s just not cool. The “that’s gay” line and lines of a similar ilk are not looked upon happily. You’d think I wouldn’t have to say it, but I’ve seen enough people make that mistake.

Anyway, these are just my opinions. I’ve based it on some probably unfair judgements about college life (maybe you don’t party so hard. Maybe it’s all late night study sessions and too much caffeine that make you so bleary eyed each morning). And, logic would have it, not everyone is like me. But that’s my experience. I hope it was enlightening for anyone in my shoes, or anyone who thinks they will be. Over and out for now.