Settling In South of the Meadows

These past few days have been all about learning to live without the internet.  The day I moved in, this meant setting up my room, shopping at the Pound Stretchers, and getting my first round of groceries.  My lack of internet on this first day gave me the time and desire to make my room comfortable.  I've got a nice little vanity, a small bookshelf which will soon be full of secondhand books, and a wonderful little bed, duvet cover courtesy of Mom.  The room I'm now living in is larger than the room I lived in last year, and as a bonus, I also have a separate kitchen and living room.  Luxurious, indeed.  The open space between my desk and my vanity is wide and clear and perfect for zooming through my  room on my chair. 

I work very hard to keep my room tidy, and I don't have a single item of dirty (or clean) clothing on the floor as yet - it helps when I know I'm rolling all the way across it every day.  I've been making my bed every morning as well, something that Mom and Dad probably don't believe.  Since my room is across from the kitchen and the door is open if I'm home, though, it's good to have a tidy room. Now if only I could decide whether or not I need a floor lamp at the bottom of my bed, I would be golden.

The kitchen is rather nice as well.  Unlike last time I was here, it has loads of cooking space.  It's actually pleasant to wash dishes here, too: our kitchen is directly above the tunnel to the car park, and our sink has a window so we can see everyone who walks in.  Some of our friends and neighbours have taken to looking into the window on way home and waving if we're there. 

I also have a lovely little basil plant which lives next to all the dishes left to dry, and it seems to be thriving for the moment.  We've done our best to make our kitchen homey, so we have accessories spread here and there across the counters in addition to my plant: a set of glass jars that say "Coffee", "Tea", and "Sugar"; a toaster I picked up at Tesco for only £4.50; my little white teapot.  Even though I'm the only one in the flat so far who seems to know how to cook more than canned soup, we're starting to enjoy sitting in there together for lunch or for some water at the end of a night.

Day two, there was a Fresher's Ceilidh down at Pollock Halls.  The event was flushed with little 18-year-old boys and girls trying to impress the opposite sex, but I'd gone with a big group of international postgrads.  The dances were all about jumping and spinning and turning and switching partners.  It was great fun, and something a lot of us are excited to participate in again when the International Office or the Student's Association holds one. 

As enjoyable as it was laughing at freshers, we've since been going to events that say "Postgraduate" or "Mature Students" in the title.  This rule is easily broken, however, if the event description includes free food.