However, I'm going to do the personal/flatmate edition first and leave the academic till later. Or just do this one and not bother with the second... I'll wait and see.
Zooming back to summer 2013 before moving to uni: I'd just been on holiday with three of my best girls and A Level results day was fast approaching. I tried to push it to the back of my mind, but the trouble is the back of the mind is still part of the mind, so that niggling anxiety was there to stay until the fateful morning in August. I woke up early. I opened my laptop. I logged on to UCAS.
'Congratulations! Your place at University of Winchester to study Primary Education with QTS (4 years) is confirmed.'
The relief that flooded me was indescribable. It meant I could really start buying things for moving away, and I could tell people I was going to Winchester without having that addition of "hopefully, if I get the grades." It also meant that a new bit of panic became prominent in my mind: good Gallifrey. I'm actually moving away. I'm moving away on my own. And I would have to meet new people.
My accommodation offer confirmed a couple of weeks later, and I immediately hopped on to Facebook to join in with the huge number of freshers trying to find their future flatmates in the hope that it would calm me down before moving in to Queens. I typed 'Flat 19 anyone?' on a few posts and pages and waited, then popped up the first reply from another girl. Another Emma. We chatted for a bit before another reply came through. This one was Charlotte.
That process continued for around a week before we'd found no less than seven of us, and we were all girls. After a fair amount of Facebook stalking and group chats, I decided that everyone sounded brilliant.
Anyway, September came around and it was time to start packing everything. That was when the nerves started up again, but I ignored them as best as I could. I went out with my friends Jessica, Christine, Natalie, Mike and Jamie one last time before we all started our new academic years, which was a little bit emotional, not gonna lie.
September 14th arrived and we left Devizes for Winchester. I was due to be first to move into the flat, which I was happy about as I could settle in before introducing myself to everyone. As I thought, I was first there and carried my stuff up to my new room with the help of my parents and a couple of students.
As we left for Sainsburys to buy my first weekly shop, I met the first of whom I was going to be living with. I said a quick "hello, nice to meet you" as Jessica carried in a massive box full of kitchen equipment (hehe) and hurried off. When I returned laden with carrier bags, doing absolutely nothing for the planet, a few more rooms were inhabited with those girls I'd met over Facebook. My parents left, my Mum just managing to hold it together (:P), and I sat at my desk wondering at what point it was acceptable to knock on someone's door.
Eventually, we ended up in Big Emma's room and had a nice long chat. I felt comfortable around everyone so far. The next day, Claudia and Charlotte arrived and we all decided to go to Bierkeller. I felt comfortable around everyone already, which was good as we stuck to each other like glue during freshers week.
Our courses began, Jessica and I joined a great choir and we went through two birthdays, a pretty epic Halloween dress up, and a couple of questionable nights out (karaoke at the County Arms, or the UV rave *cough* Jessica and Charlotte *cough* :P). Then, in mid-November our Italian flatmate Elisa decided to leave, and we suddenly had an empty room. Cue a shocked/excited tapping on my shoulder at choir one Wednesday afternoon. I turned around, and Jessica whispered "it's a boy!" I'll be honest, first I thought who on earth do we know that was heavily pregnant and could've given birth? Then I realised. The empty room was going to be filled. With a boy.
This was a massive shock because we were an all-girl flat, and the addition of a bit of testosterone was simply unimaginable at that point. Little did we know that scary boy would become a wonderful big brother.
Jake moved in and settled rather quickly. I don't remember the point at which he became integral to the flat atmosphere, but he did. In fact, there wasn't an exact moment when I knew that I was now friends with anyone in the flat. I just knew we were... When you give each other insulting nicknames, you must be (Bilbo and Three Balls).
Just like the speed of this year, I'm going to whizz through Christmas and semester two. We watched a huge amount of movies (Queer Duck included ;), I got mostly everyone (Jake) into Doctor Who, made fun of each other's accents, went to quiz every week, went on placements, listened to Charlotte on her radio show, created the 'Fit Man Board', went bowling, sent a vast number of *attractive* snapchats, told Jake off a lot, skateboarded down the corridor, wrapped Jessica in cling film, played Monopoly, Cards Against Humanity (lol), Poker (double lol), COD that one time (triple lol), got a little bit addicted to Flappy Bird and 2048, and generally had an awesome time.
Now the time has come. The end of the year has actually come around, and we've started to move out of flat 19 for the last time. Big Emma and Jake have already flown the nest, and I'm not gonna lie, there were one or two tears shed (I'm so pathetic) TOTES EMOSH.
I will miss the flat. But it's been great while it lasted, and our new house will be the same. Jake, you've just got to stay over a lot. You'll have your own cupboard, what more do you need? ;)
So, a few shout outs to some super cool people. First everyone back home: Mum, Dad, Lucy, Jessica, Christine, Natalie, Mahala, Mike, Jamie, Thomas and everyone else (you know who you are). Thanks for all the support and luck before and during my fresher year. As much as I have loved being in Winch, I did miss good ol' Devizes.
Second, some awesome people I've met this year. Rosie, thank you for being a fantastically supportive placement partner. Everyone in group 10, you're all great :)
Third, everyone who lived in Flat 19 this year: Emma, Jessica, Charlotte, Jake, Claudia, Beth, Camilla, Elisa and Christina. You were brilliant. I'm so glad I met you all and I think we were so lucky to have been put together.
And finally, a special mention for the Famous Five. You guys have wriggled your way into my life in the most incredible way, and you are as much my best friends as the seven I have back home. We've had an overwhelming number of highs as well as a couple of lows, and I think we've become life-long brother and sisters. I wish there were better words to say than thank you. I love you all, and I'll miss you a hell of a lot over the summer. Don't be strangers.
(Apologies for the soppiness. I'm talking to you, Miss House... ;) J x C x J x E x
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