All I could hear as I walked to the registry was my heartbeat, loud and fast. It was freezing outside but amazingly, I was sweating. All this was because it was my first day at the University of Essex. I arrived more than two weeks after studies begun. I had missed registration and also the famous 'Freshers' Week' which all new students looked forward to.
As I was ushered around by one of the university's representatives, I was completely speechless. Not only because I was nervous, but because I was in awe at the vast and beautiful area in which I was.
The reception I had on my arrival was very warm. After I had completed registration with the help of some staff, I was taken to my flat. My first intuition on getting to my flat was to scream. Back in my college in Nigeria, the accomodation or 'hostels' as popularly called were bigger and also more organized. As I stepped into my kitchen, it seemed like I was swimming in an ocean of dirt and disorder. Pots, plates, pans etc were heaped everywhere. My room was like a haven on the otherhand. I loved how small and compact it was. Most especially, I loved the fact it was just going to be me living in it. In my college in Nigeria, rooms were shared with 4 people so this was such a relief.
My first nights in the University were quite enlightening. I discovered how much the students here loved partying. This wasn't really a surprise because the students in my college back in Nigeria liked to party. However, here in Essex, it seemed to be a hobby or rather, a daily routine.
I was quite confused when I heard about the method of submitting coursework. Back in my college in Nigeria, most coursework or assignments were handwritten. However in Essex, this was not so. Coursework was to be submitted online via OCS.
All my lectures went very well. Despite how many times I got lost trying to look for where a class was to be held, I was happy whenever I was in class. The teachers were so nice and cordial. I wasn't quite thrilled when I learnt I was to refer to teachers by using their first names. It was shocking because back in my college, it was mandatory to use 'Mr' or 'Mrs' when referring to teachers or anyone that was older.
Meeting different people from different parts of the world was enthralling. Although there are people of various nationalities back in Nigeria, there were few in my college. In Essex, I was completely surrounded by people from different places in the world.
In conclusion, the University of Essex is really a wonderful place to be and I'm happy to be here.
Adaeze xo
