It's been ages since I wrote a blog post for this blog, there's loads of reasons why but I thought seeing as I'm sitting down with nothing (uni work) to do I'd use the time to post an update on here. I don't know how many people will read it but even if no-one does it will be something for me to look back on one day, but it's also here for anyone who will be starting uni in September and is currently going through uni firming and is wondering what it's really like.
A lot has happened since freshers, for a start I successfully made it through my first modules and managed to pass everything, my friendship group has changed and that has brought new changes with it, and I've just generally been swimming along with life. Last time I posted in this blog freshers had just happened and I was still very uncertain about what was really going on in my life. I spent a lot of time with the society I had joined, and I had a sweet little group of friends who I went out with A LOT. 6 months later I've found myself in a new little group of friends, and I love them all. I'm not saying that I don't still speak to the people I hung out with last term, and I didn't fall out with them and I still see them from time to time and get on very well with them, it's just that I found a different group that I have more in common with, and that I just naturally found myself hanging out with. There's loads of pressure when you first join uni to find your new friends for life, to get on with the people you make friends with in freshers, to instantly have a "squad". University will be some of the best days of your life so far, and the friends you make will be extremely good friends, but don't feel like you have to meet these within the first month. The best friendships I have here properly emerged over Christmas, a good three months after I started at Uni. I've seen so many people panic that they haven't got super close friends before the Christmas holidays but I learnt that the right group for you will come along at some point, there's no point in forcing anything.
In terms of my own life things have changed too. I'm now TWENTY which feels ridiculously old. And I'm a full time vegetarian after being on off veggie for years. I thought being a vegetarian would be really difficult but I'm actually really enjoying all of the new dishes I've been eating and learning to make and I'm consuming a lot better food than I was before (last term I literally lived off chicken nuggets and lots of fried bacon). But with the positive new things there have been hard times. Since starting uni I've been up and down in mood non stop. It's been relentless and draining and I've finally had the confidence to speak up about it and try and sort things out. The first appointment I had was awful, but hopefully the next one will go better. There's way too many negative attitudes towards mental health, and I want to be able to change this a bit and raise some awareness, no-one really knows about how to go about sorting issues and it's not information that's easy to access. There seems to be a massive thing around it that makes it extremely difficult for anyone who's suffering to do anything about it, but it's so important to know that if you are struggling you can go somewhere and someone will help. I feel like I left mine too late, I could have been helped through last term or this term and it would have stopped a lot of the stress that came from the work I got so far behind with. But it's cool, because I've taken the first steps. My honest advice for anyone who feels like they're struggling is don't leave it, don't let it get bad, don't wait until you find yourself getting so far behind with your work. Your problems are real and they're not made up and there will be someone who can help you. Also, never underestimate the power of really good friends. These past few months have taught me that there really is nothing more valuable than having someone tell you they're there with you, or that they're going to help you ever step of the way. Your friends see you everyday and will know when somethings up and having them check you're okay is one of the most comforting feelings. And if you're a friend of someone struggling let them know you're not going to leave them there in the dark and offer to help them, cause I know that for me knowing that my best friend is going to be there, and having them tell me they're going to be there, and seeing them be there has been one of the things that has lifted all my spirits and hope again.
I know this seems like a totally depressing end to my second semester at uni but it's not. I finally feel like I'm coming out of the dark cycle I've been stuck in, and I'm surrounded by people who make me feel loved and appreciated, and I'm so so grateful to have them in my life. Things are heading in the right direction and I can't wait to see what this final semester and the summer bring.
A lot has happened since freshers, for a start I successfully made it through my first modules and managed to pass everything, my friendship group has changed and that has brought new changes with it, and I've just generally been swimming along with life. Last time I posted in this blog freshers had just happened and I was still very uncertain about what was really going on in my life. I spent a lot of time with the society I had joined, and I had a sweet little group of friends who I went out with A LOT. 6 months later I've found myself in a new little group of friends, and I love them all. I'm not saying that I don't still speak to the people I hung out with last term, and I didn't fall out with them and I still see them from time to time and get on very well with them, it's just that I found a different group that I have more in common with, and that I just naturally found myself hanging out with. There's loads of pressure when you first join uni to find your new friends for life, to get on with the people you make friends with in freshers, to instantly have a "squad". University will be some of the best days of your life so far, and the friends you make will be extremely good friends, but don't feel like you have to meet these within the first month. The best friendships I have here properly emerged over Christmas, a good three months after I started at Uni. I've seen so many people panic that they haven't got super close friends before the Christmas holidays but I learnt that the right group for you will come along at some point, there's no point in forcing anything.
In terms of my own life things have changed too. I'm now TWENTY which feels ridiculously old. And I'm a full time vegetarian after being on off veggie for years. I thought being a vegetarian would be really difficult but I'm actually really enjoying all of the new dishes I've been eating and learning to make and I'm consuming a lot better food than I was before (last term I literally lived off chicken nuggets and lots of fried bacon). But with the positive new things there have been hard times. Since starting uni I've been up and down in mood non stop. It's been relentless and draining and I've finally had the confidence to speak up about it and try and sort things out. The first appointment I had was awful, but hopefully the next one will go better. There's way too many negative attitudes towards mental health, and I want to be able to change this a bit and raise some awareness, no-one really knows about how to go about sorting issues and it's not information that's easy to access. There seems to be a massive thing around it that makes it extremely difficult for anyone who's suffering to do anything about it, but it's so important to know that if you are struggling you can go somewhere and someone will help. I feel like I left mine too late, I could have been helped through last term or this term and it would have stopped a lot of the stress that came from the work I got so far behind with. But it's cool, because I've taken the first steps. My honest advice for anyone who feels like they're struggling is don't leave it, don't let it get bad, don't wait until you find yourself getting so far behind with your work. Your problems are real and they're not made up and there will be someone who can help you. Also, never underestimate the power of really good friends. These past few months have taught me that there really is nothing more valuable than having someone tell you they're there with you, or that they're going to help you ever step of the way. Your friends see you everyday and will know when somethings up and having them check you're okay is one of the most comforting feelings. And if you're a friend of someone struggling let them know you're not going to leave them there in the dark and offer to help them, cause I know that for me knowing that my best friend is going to be there, and having them tell me they're going to be there, and seeing them be there has been one of the things that has lifted all my spirits and hope again.
I know this seems like a totally depressing end to my second semester at uni but it's not. I finally feel like I'm coming out of the dark cycle I've been stuck in, and I'm surrounded by people who make me feel loved and appreciated, and I'm so so grateful to have them in my life. Things are heading in the right direction and I can't wait to see what this final semester and the summer bring.
Comments
Post a Comment