freshers | 29.09.17

I've been living in Bristol at uni for nearly 3 weeks now, and it's about a million miles from the experience I was expecting.
I'm at UWE Bristol studying Politics and International Relations, which - first of all - is not where I expected to be at all 6 weeks ago. Having not quite made my first or insurance uni choices, I went through clearing with 3 Bs in my A Levels, and have found myself here. Luckily, though, it seems to have been a good decision.
My first week in Bristol was one of the hardest I have had in a while. Unfortunately for me, I was the only one of the 3 people living in my flat to arrive when I did, so while the rest of my building (and seemingly the rest of Bristol) were meeting their flatmates, spending their nights at flat parties or out at Lakota or Thekla, I was holed up by myself in an empty flat, living solely on pasta and pesto. Needless to say, I was quite unhappy for that first week.
Finally, the next weekend rolled around, and my lovely flatmates moved in! I immediately felt better, as at this point it was just nice to see someone when I walked into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Or pasta and pesto. That hasn't changed yet. My second week was spent getting to know my flatmates, going to induction lectures and freshers' fairs, and finally experiencing a little of the Bristol nightlife. Now, I would describe my attitude to going out-out as fairly average. I'm not adverse to a good night out, however my anxious disposition can mean that sometimes I literally cannot think of anything worse. Throughout official freshers week, I managed an impressive total of 2 nights out, and 1 trip to the pub. This feels perfectly adequate to me. My favourite night of the week has to have been Saturday night at Propaganda at the Fleece. While I can appreciate that the grime-y thing is a massive thing in Bristol, I've got to admit that it's not really my thing - indie bangers and cheesy pop classics however? Yes please.
My third week, which I'm currently coming to the end of, has mainly consisted of meeting and getting to know the people on my course, and getting to grips with the already overwhelming amount of READING that is involved. I know I shouldn't be surprised - but there is so much I have to READ! That being said, the course modules look insanely interesting and I can't wait to get stuck into them.
In terms of missing home, it was definitely at its most intense during my first week. Being sat in an empty flat in a city that didn't feel like home with no one I knew anywhere near was incredibly difficult. Luckily, though, I was able to see my girlfriend a few times throughout the week. Since meeting my flatmates, starting my course, and getting into routine, though, I've definitely settled in more. I'm still looking forward to heading back to the 'diff in a few weeks though - back over the bridge onto the Welsh soil.
Overall, my first three weeks as a uni student in Bristol have been fairly positive, but not without their difficulties. I'm looking forward to getting properly settled, and seeing where the next 3 years take me!