I wish I'd known...
A realistic Guide to life at UCLan - written by students!
by Alicia Flanagan, BA (Hons) Public Relations, 3rd year, age 21
Before starting university, almost three years ago I felt apprehensive about whether I’d make enough friends and whether I’d chosen the right course. But what I didn’t think about was whether I’d cope living away from home, my friends and my family.
The first few weeks were fine, it was a bit like being on an 18-30s holiday (minus the sunshine), going out every night meeting new people, having fun, getting involved in the various activities on offer and exploring the new city I was living in. Then it dawned on me, I was now living here, in Preston, the only people I knew I’d met in the past two weeks, my old friends were scattered across the country at different universities and my family were miles away. I missed little things like the local pub, my local gym and knowing my way around; in some ways it felt like my old life had disappeared and as much fun as I’d been having at university I felt stupid for not realising how much things would change.
I wasn’t unhappy with my ‘new’ life, quite the opposite I was having a ball! But I wish someone had told me that I might feel a tad lost to begin with, that it might take me a while to feel at home with my new friends and my uni ‘family’. I might not have believed them if they’d told me; I didn’t realise I was so attached to the friends I’d known for most of my life, attached to the comforts of the house I’d grown up in and the town I’d lived in until suddenly I was living in halls, in a small cell like room with a scabby curtain separating my shower and toilet! I had to keep all my things separately in the kitchen with my own drawer, cupboard and shelf in the fridge, I had to go to the supermarket and cook meals for one; at home dinner was family time and it felt strange to suddenly be eating alone when my flatmates were out.
In those first few weeks I definitely would not have believed anyone that I’d grow as attached to my shoebox room as my own bedroom at home, that I’d love my new friends as much as my old ones, and I most certainly wouldn’t have believed that I’d grow to love grey and dreary, ‘de-Preston’.
However, as much as Preston is cold, rainy and windy (where else in the UK isn’t?) you can’t help but fall in love with what’s at the heart of the city, UCLan’s spirit. The staff are friendly, students are always eager to make new friends and there are always events and activities for people to get involved with; so I guess what I wish I’d been told before coming to UCLan is DON’T WORRY because every fresher is in the same boat and having the same mixed feelings about their ‘new’ life.
