First Day at University

The much anticipated day had arrived, the beginning of the first week of an experience that had been in the back of my mind for many years never really believing it would happen for one reason or another. I begin university life as a mature student having left school at the tender age of 16 to pursue a career in the Army and go on to complete eight years of service. During this time I was involved in nearly every modern day conflict that many are made aware of through the media.These times were unsurprisingly very difficult yet very rewarding in some respects; some of my experiences are those that most people are only ever likely to be seen in films. It is because of my experiences that I made a decision to change my path in life, and this involved my returning to education firstly at my local college where I successfully completed a national diploma in sports science.

It was a huge decision to return to education and found it difficult to adapt initially but with help, and my continuous desire to succeed got me to where I wanted to be, university. From the day I completed my course at college the countdown was on, day by day, week by week, the overwhelming feelings of anticipation and trepidation would continue to build and the early stages brought about feelings of it not being real somehow, the question being asked, ‘Am I really going to university? , and the answer really only becomes clear as I made my way up the motorway and begun to unload my possessions. The first hours of the first week are filled with many questions, most of which are nearly impossible to be answered immediately, questions like ‘Will I meet new friends? ’, and ‘How are people going to react to me? ’ Given my life experience you would think that these sorts of questions will not provide any level of anxiety but human nature dictates that it is only natural to feel this way as everybody wants to be liked and respected.However, the overriding feeling for me was a loss of identity, I have such a story to tell but you cannot force people to listen, others are only seeing you at face value and all of these will have there own doubts and questions that have to be resolved during this change in their life. I know in my heart of hearts that this feeling of a loss of identity will not last, unfortunately this does not make a new beginning easy, but if life in general was easy then I am sure it would be a very boring life and I for on am the type of person that wants to step out of a comfort zone to embrace a new challenge.

It would have been very easy for me to get a nine to five job and live comfortably with the same routine day in day out, week in week out and to look back at my accomplishments, but I believe you should never consider your accomplishments as it is a possible pitfall in life, by considering what you have achieved means you are looking back instead of forward. Fresher week for many is an excuse for those that are leaving home for the first time and are able take off the shackles and undertake a hedonistic lifestyle that they are not used to when they are at home living with the rest of the family.For me, fresher’s week has been about orientation, administration and organization. I enjoy having fun just as much as the next man but I realise that my primary goal here is to study and to make the most of the opportunities that are open to me. I have learnt over the years that the world does not owe anyone a favour, and whatever it is you want out of life you have to work for and work very hard, some may say that luck plays a big part in the path we take, what I would say is this, the harder you work, the luckier you become.A stand out moment for me during my first week at university would be the commencement assembly; this might not be everybody’s highlight of their first week but the reason for it being mine will become clear.

I attended the commencement ceremony with an element of Sinicism within me purely because I had imagined it to be people on stage talking at me giving a stock presentation full of cliche’s.Thankfully this was not the case; every individual that spoke regardless of whether they were relevant to the path that I am undertaking managed to inspire me in some way. I had a feeling of how much the staff care here and how much work they are willing to put in on the premise that we the students are willing to match that or better it. I had left the sports hall with a higher level of inspiration and determination than when I had entered, I left with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.My determination to succeed has never been in question, many used to tell me that I would amount to nothing and I would always prove them wrong, but the level of determination had reached an all time high after the words I had heard from those on that stage, this is why I have singled this event out as my stand out moment for my first week in university.

To sum up, my first week has been a journey filled with questions and answers, new people, new stories. But most of all a time filled with discovery, determination and inspiration.