Do you go to university?
Have you ever been?
Do you know anyone who does?
Even if not, you'll undoubtedly know how unique, how different it is to any other area of life.
You do things you'd never normally do.
Meet people you'd never normally meet.
Go places you'd never normally go.
For the majority, we're living away from home for the first time.
Living alone for the first time.
New faces, new places, new names.
It's a completely different game.
The best thing to do?
Embrace it.
Student lifestyles aren't known for being luxurious, but we have to realise what a privileged position we're in.
On a daily basis, we are exposed to so many people, and we have the opportunity to do so many amazing things.
The other day I signed up to do skydiving.
F*****g skydiving!
It's been a HUGE wish of mine for some time.
Yes, it slightly terrifies me.
But it also exhilarates me.
This is the sort of thing that makes going to university life-changing, so so much more than the academics.
Granted, they're important.
You should work hard for the best grades you can.
They'll contribute to getting your first full-time job.
But the process of growing up and becoming independent is so much bigger.
There are many challenges to overcome when you live alone for the first time, whether it be chores (like cleaning, cooking and doing washing), or socially (meeting new people and making new friends), or moving away from your family (tough for everyone).
For me, the struggle has been finding a routine.
Anyone close to me knows how much of a planner I am.
I like being organised, and thinking things through ahead of time.
But I also like spontaneity, and hate monotony.
I need to keep things fresh and exciting, but have a certain structure to it all.
The first week at university before lectures began (known as 'Freshers Week', famous and infamous for various things as I'm sure you know) had no structure whatsoever,
In many ways that was brilliant.
A week of getting to know people, signing up for things and going out to explore Liverpool's nightlife flashed by in a blur.
But the lack of routine was, at least for me, a bit of a challenge.
Whether it be in my sport, fitness, eating times, or academically, I prefer structure.
And so at times I felt lost.
I won't deny it.
However, this was something I anticipated.
I was able to cope.
I now have a vague idea of a routine, although this will be more concrete when I know which sporting clubs and societies I might join (skydiving aside, football, karting, creative writing, futsal and archery are all possibilities, among others).
But at the same time I know I must embrace a lack of routine, at times.
Let me explain.
It's true: people who win are people who plan their days, and weeks, and even years.
Don't worry, I'm still keeping an aspect of that.
It's in my nature.
I am also going to be less rigid in my approach to it.
I'll do more things on the spur of the moment.
Like the other day: I had planned to come back to my flat to get something done, but ran into someone I knew on the way home. He invited me to get a coffee with a few people. At the cafe, I started chatting to a girl I'd never met in my life before (in true Yes Theory-style, see my last post), and ended up staying there with her for a few hours.
Strangers are only friends you haven't met yet.
Let serendipity do its thing!
Today's post was an unorganised ramble.
Apologies.
Not everything needs to be super-structured though, right?
Anyway, approach university and any other endeavour of yours with an open mind.
It'll get you a long way.
I've only been here for two weeks, and I've learnt a lot.
Sign up for that society, go to that event, talk to that girl.
"Regretting something you did is usually better than regretting something you were too scared to try" (Alex Blair, 2019)
Remember: You'll Never Walk Alone.
Until the next time...
Alex (N.Y.A.)
Something Extra
Exciting N.Y.A. news is coming.
Me and my fellow Aspirer are working on something.
Ideas have been hatched and plans concocted.
More to come.
