Thinking of University but been put off by what you have heard????? Let me set you STRAIGHT…
Kia Ora Koutou!
My Name is ELLA
Let me quickly fill you in on my life story….I was born and raised in a small Taranaki town called Waitara, I spent the last five years of my life at an ALL Maori Girls’ Boarding School (Yes I am one PAKEHA LOOKING MAORI) and I LOVE my KAI!! (food).
So two weeks ago I said goodbye to life as I knew it and ventured on a completely new adventure. The adventured called…… *dun dun dun* U N I V E R S I T Y
Now I could use this blog filling you in on every little amazing detail that has happened at university over the past two weeks, but that would just be boring, so instead I am just going to get realistic about the MYTHS of UNIVERSITY or so the heading suggests “EXPECTATION VS. REALITY”
Expectation 1/2: Moving away from home into a Hall of residence, with no parents or no rules will either make you really homesick and/or will turn you into an alcoholic party animal…
Reality: Okay so keep in mind I am only speaking from my own personal experience and what I have observed. This is only something parents convince themselves in preparation for sending their beloved innocent children away to university!! (unless of course they are sending them to Otago… stuff.co.nz doesn’t lie “Couch torched, Five arrested in latest Dunedin student party incident”).
But anyway back on track…. The University transition really isn’t as scary as it seems. You will have so much positive things going on around you that Mum and Dad and even social media, in my case, will be the last thing on your mind!
Yes guys! Say goodbye to your regular Snapchat, Insta and Facebook updates!
Its been two weeks and me and my Fourth Floor Fire Nation mates are already planning our flat together for next year…. Yes you read right, I cant get enough of these Awesome people! Its just so exciting having positive people around you all the time, who even needs to think about being homesick!? I feel completely content and at home here its unbelievable!
As for people thinking “university students GO WILD when they arrive because we have no rules” is absolutely incorrect. We have rules in the Hall which aren’t much but definitely enough to keep us in line. Reality is, quiet time is at 10 pm so if we want to party we have no other option than going to town, which is going to cost us money, consequently resulting in an excessive student loan and let’s be real…. who wants that?
This then brings me to my third Expectation….
Expectation 3: O week is nothing but a week of getting stupidly DRUNK!
Reality: Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! I cant lie, this expectation is a little disappointing but O Week was still an AWESOME experience (intoxicated, or not).
So basically a lot of people have this huge idea that O Week is all about partying and what not, well I am sure there is the odd one or two who get stupidly, irresponsibly drunk for a consistent week and cannot get up for Monday morning classes, but let me assure you they are the MINORITY.
O Week was crazily BUSY! So many new people to meet and so many new places to discover, get lost in or learn to find. The environment of Auckland itself is almost daunting. You learn pretty quickly how to dodge other pedestrians and cross the road unsafely, but successfully. There are loads of these “university terms” and acronyms its almost too much to take in! About a million different lecture theaters and alleyways to get completely lost in but it really doesn’t take long to familiarise yourself with everything. Did I mention the amount of people handing out all these free pens, pamphlets and merchandise!? Sometimes if you’re lucky you may just stumble upon free food too!! #JACKPOT#
So chances are if you’re coming to University for the first time you probably won’t go getting wasted and throwing up everywhere every single night… “YUCK”. But you will meet some amasing people and learn a lot of new things.
HOWEVER that’s not to say fun cant be had tho and don’t go out….
With that said I come to the conclusion…
University is not as scary as it is perceived, come open minded, open hearted and feeling positive and I promise you, you will not regret it!