Week 11: Countdown to Christmas

This week has been busy!

On Monday, I had a performance assessment worth however many percent of that module. Fifty, maybe. I should really have paid more attention to the percentage, perhaps. That said, regardless of each assessment's percentage, I've worked at my fullest. There's dedication! (Don't listen to people who say: "It's only first year") For anyone who wants to study Drama at Birmingham, this paragraph may be of use to you. For anyone who isn't, perhaps you may want to skip. The performances were hosted in George Cadbury Hall, which has its own auditorium (and BBC HD cinema), fully equipped with ninety-six lights and a small audience area. The stage area can be small, large or massive. I'm not entirely sure how many people are studying this module but in any case there was a Monday group and a Thursday group. Within each group were smaller groups of three or four students. We were given about three weeks in which to rehearse a segment of script - that we could cut and mix around as we wish - and then perform it in front of the three module mistresses and the other Drama single honours students. The Thursdays were invited to the Monday performances and vice versa, though that was optional and some of us wanted a day for sleeping after such intense rehearsals. Each performance was limited in time: groups of three were expected to prepare a piece 8-10 minutes long and larger groups of four could extend to 12 minutes. Marks were taken off for shorter or longer pieces outside the time limit as they did not stick to the brief (though I must say I don't remember any pieces that didn't fit the time limit). Unfortunately, I was talking to one of my group members and she said, "You know what non-drama folk say about drama students? Its true, isn't it? We do just do really hippy-ish stuff in practical classes." Take heed! If anyone wants to know more about the practical exam for first year, do ask me. I may even be able to give light on the practical exam for second and third years, having made friends in those years.

Tuesday was the Winter Ball for all halls of residence. Each halls booked their own events room at hotels, botanical gardens, football grounds and other events locations which was followed by a 'secret' (*cough* Bambu *cough*) after party where all winter ballers joined for one massive partay. I only stayed until 10pm because I fancied some epic sleep but my flatmates arrived back at staggered times, the latest being about 3am. She had a good time. Everyone dressed up in their best attire (black tie: boys in suits, girls in cocktail dresses) and was served up a beautiful three course Christmas dinner. This wasn't free, mind. Tennis Courts' Ball was priced at £20, with £5 extra for anyone who wanted to go to the after party. From what I know, Elgar, Aitken and Maple's Joint Ball was £30 and Jarratt's was £10. For TC, the new RA (TeCRA: those who rule over Tennis Courts and get the admin done for us, as well as organising events and sorting out issues) was announced and each baton was handed over. There were cheers, there were woops and there were tears. Tears of joy.

Before the ball, I had plenty to do. I had a presentation to give on Wednesday so had scheduled Tuesday morning to write it up, having done the research over the weekend. Unfortunately I had forgotten that Wednesday was also the day of PTPC, which requires a group meeting beforehand to prepare a presentation on the week's topic and questions. I wasn't the allocated presenter so that wasn't too bad, but I did have to take half an hour out of my time to discuss the question and topic. Handy tip: don't delete past coursework, it may come in handy. At 12pm, I was sat in Joe's Bar at the Guild, waiting for my group members and churning out what looked like an introduction for my presentation, on my laptop. After the meeting, I sped off to the main library to find a neat little study area in the quiet section on the third floor. It was at that moment that I figured that I wasn't only just against time in terms of 'must-be-back-at-the-flat-at-3-30-pm-to-wash-my-hair' but the study holes didn't have plugs so I was also against my laptop's battery life. I couldn't really go back to the flat and work there because I'd get slack and go on Facebook. The double pressure and lack of internet access produced 1200 words in an hour. Pretty good going, don't you think? When I got back to the flat and washed my hair, I polished it and managed to get it to about 1400 words, which is two sides of A4, single spaced, size 10 text. The presentation, though, was to be read out. Again, a ten minute time limit was set. When I read it aloud to myself, it was about nine minutes nine seconds.

I have to admit, I haven't really done many of the typical student things that you hear of before actually moving to University but I did add one to the list on Wednesday: going to a lecture having had no sleep. Whilst I say I left the ball at about 10pm to get some sleep, it didn't actually happen. This was partly due to me going out of my room to greet that flatmates as they came back, hearing each of their hilarious stories, and returning back to my room only to exit again half an hour later to repeat the process. I'm sure I laid down to sleep at about 4.30am, with a looming alarm of 7.30am and the aim to leave the flat at 9am. Perhaps I did get some sleep but I didn't feel it. I do remember having a dream. It really was a very strange night. I don't advise going to a lecture or seminar with no sleep under your belt. Especially if there's an hour walk preceding it.

Friday was the last day of term. This meant that TC (and all the other halls) began to empty. The arrival of the parents, as seen in reading week back in the day, was another sight and cars were filled up with ridiculous amounts of 'stuff'. I don't know what they took home. I'm only taking clothes, books and my laptop, essentially. As I only had an hour long lecture at 9am on Friday, I planned to do some food shopping, have some lunch in my flat then go to Birmingham to attempt to finish off some Christmas shopping. I arrived at the university train station at about 1pm and the queue was actually long enough to extend outside the station. Albeit, the machines are only just inside, but still it was long. Handy tip: don't leave on Friday, leave it until Saturday morning when its still busy but the traffic isn't as bad. Oh but I did return to Birmingham at about the same time the following day and the ticket machines were out of order so the two cashiers had to process them. My theory, as with the washing machines and tumble driers, is that they were too full of money. This does stop them working! It has been proven with a washing machine or two. Another handy tip: if a washing machine isn't working, first ask maintenance to check it isn't full of cash before they order a new one.

I've bought my train ticket home for Wednesday so this is my week: Monday, Christmas Dinner with Oliver; Tuesday, clean the flat, pack my bags, read through my books to see that they're useful for the three essays I've been set; Wednesday, finish packing my bags if I didn't on Tuesday, go hooome!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and have a lovely 2010!

Week 10: Sleep, Work, Jedward, Jamie Afro, Equus

Pretty much all through this week I have been in a fowl mood. I have too much work to do and have somehow managed to put off doing most of it. Don't believe what the student representatives say: University is not all about going out and procrastinating! It is harrrd work. Emerging from the week of no spare time, I thought I'd feel much better and have no problem about getting my work done. It turns out that isn't true. I tried to do work but managed to keep on putting it off half an hour at a time. That is a very bad idea because even if by the end of the night no work is done, the relaxation you would normally feel after a night off is not felt due to the dark cloud of work hanging over. I've come to realise that a day is either a work day or a day off.

Yesterday I managed to get down to work and complete the Technical Rehearsal Project (basically: an essay explaining what the technical rehearsal is and who does what) for the costume allocation (see previous posts for more details). I did have an invite to go out for a drink with the person I may be living with next year. I told myself that I would only go out if I finished all the work I needed to do. I did finish the work but settled for the reward of getting into bed at 10pm, watching some ice hockey and the backstage footage from the new Stereophonics album and chatting to my friends from home on msn. I proceeded to have the best sleep in the entire world ever, infinity plus one. In the morning I woke up thinking it must be the afternoon already but found it was infact 10am. Such a lovely time to wake up. Not too early, not too late, the whole day ahead of you if you get up straight away. I even cleaned the fridge before breakfast!

One thing I forgot to mention last week was X Factor Tuesdays at the Guild. The Guild of Students has managed to book three of the X Factor's finalists to play at the Underground. Jamie 'Afro' Archer played in Tuesday of Week 9, Jon and Edward played Tuesday of Week 10 and next week the Guild is host to Lloyd. I bought a £12 ticket that allowed me entry to all three weeks. It's £5 for a single ticket. On the night, the act plays three or four songs then there's a chance to meet them in a private room in the Guild. For Jedward, there was a photographer already in place to speed things along. For Jamie, fans could take their own pictures and get his autograph. You can imagine what the demand was like for Jedward!

I promised one of my coursemates that I'd go and see him in Article 19's (a University of Birmingham society) production of Equus. I also knew the director from doing the costume for Vinegar Tom so I was intrigued. On top of that, Equus is my favourite play. When I was in year twelve, I had to do an exam about it so went to see it with my classmates. It was so good that I bought two tickets for me and my brother to see it again a mere week later. Having seen the official touring production, Article 19 had high standards to meet. They most definitely met them. I was very impressed! It was performed in the Deb Hall, above Joe's Bar in the Guild and the whole team managed to transform the space into something pretty awesome. The acting was above par, for sure.


Storm (coursemate) and Jamie 'Afro' Archer.


Storm (coursemate) with Jon and Edward.


Ben Hastings and Henry Wyrley-Birch in Equus.

Week 9: Theatre Crafts Allocation and Christmas

This week's post, I'm afraid, will be completely drama orientated. Reason being I have been absolutely immersed in the world of theatre as part of costume crew for Vinegar Tom. I must admit, it isn't one of the easiest things in the world to cope with. The technical rehearsal(s) is(are) horrible for the costume crew because we have to sit backstage for literally hours whilst the cast and crew work together in getting the lighting and sound cues right. I'm absolutely not kidding when I say 'hours', too, because one of my calls for the two tech days was about nine hours long. Late nights, too. I think that day ended at about 10.15pm. On Saturday at about 6pm my mood turned fowl absolutely because I was exhausted. Of course I did all my jobs with some enthusiasm but my mind was cast to my bed. It is amazing how something like that can make the feel of bed sheets absolutely heavenly. Actually being in that semi-awake, semi-asleep state before dropping off is something I daydreamed (no pun intended) about. That said, it did give me an insight into the world of student theatre. Once the performances began, the staff stepped back and the whole show was being run by students: third years performed, second years ran tech and costume crew and first years worked the box office, curtains, costume changes and other small jobs. My recurring job was to make Lydia's feet and hands look dirty by using green, black and red stage make up. The colour we ended up with changed every night. I wish I had pictures of the costume and such but I didn't take any. I did make detailed notes about each costume, though, because I have to write an essay on the process.

I'm struggling for things to write about this week because the above situation has absolutely taken over my whole week from morning to late evening every day. There is one thing: Christmas. When I came back from the first performance night, most of my flatmates were in the kitchen discussing the goings on before Christmas and what we would do together. I was just in time for the decision making which made me feel much happier even after such a long day. It was decided that we would choose the Secret Santa (everyone's name is written on separate slips of paper and folded up, everyone then choose a piece of paper and has to buy a present for that person unless they get themselves in which case the names are shuffled and chosen again) that night and would exchange gifts on Monday 7th December either before or after Christmas Dinner, which will be a flat effort with everyone making something. We're also going, together, to the German Christmas Market on Tuesday 8th December. I already went with my boyfriend on the day of the Millenium Point chaos so it'll be a bonus for me. We'll sip mulled wine and ride the merry-go-round. Good times.

I went to Birmingham today to find a present for my secret santa recipient yesterday as it was my first day off all week (oh yes, Saturday was taken too by matinee and evening performances, 1.30pm til 9.15pm call). I'd love to say it was so easy to find a present but with a limit of £5 it is very difficult to get something worthwhile and within the in-jokes and interest of the recipient. I know exactly the type of thing I'd like to buy but I spent over three hours trailing around the Bullring and Pallisades only to buy my lunch for today, to browse Selfridges for Christmas cards, to induldge in the smell of Vera Wang for men and buy my boyfriend his first of many small Christmas presents. I did find a few things that would be pretty good to buy my recipient but they were over budget so I had to look elsewhere. I'll try again on Thursday, which is the day I don't have anything written on my timetable and which I should really use for reading. Oh the joys of being a fresher.


The Bullring: Debenhams.


Birmingham centre at night: Selfridges and a Christmas tree.

Week 8: Quiz, Bowling, Money, Christmas and Gatecrasher

I can't believe I've gone through eight posts without mentioning the legend that is the pub quiz! I go to the quiz every Sunday at Rios in the hub at the Vale. The epic awesomeness that is Mike does the hosting most weeks, helped out by a taller-than-the-average-bear friend whose name I haven't overheard yet. Occasionally someone else chips in with a round or two. The prizes vary but usually they're a crate or something. There's also a bottle of sparkling wine for the third from bottom, every week. See, if they gave a prize to bottom or second from bottom then that would be easily cheated and people wouldn't take it seriously. Perhaps I take it too seriously. The team names are always interesting. Quizzie Rascal are a team who haven't changed their name since the first week. My past team names have included JLS Crowd Surfers (response to the drama at Millennium Point); Goth Detectives Part 2 (a Hallowe'en choice - if you know the reference, you win at life); The Good, The Bad and We Left Nathan At Home and various other names that are perhaps inappropriate for a blog that's meant to be within good taste. If you want to know, leave me a comment. They're really not that special, though, so I doubt it's worth the effort. The vale quiz consists of six rounds: Round 1, general knowledge; Round 2, topical (has been Sport, Geography and Music alternating); Round 3, picture round variable; Round 4, interchangeable (usually music/film); Round 5, double points (usually mimicking the intros round from Buzzcocks, sometimes film quotes, sometimes lyrics); Round 6, knockout (each question is True/False, you can answer them all or answer only a few but they must be in order and if you get one wrong you lose the string but if they're all right you get all the points). My team, which now consists of me and my boyfriend, has scored a high of 41 and a low of 26 (out of 60). The low was last week and we managed to get the third from bottom prize of sparkling wine.

I noticed that I haven't really written about the entertainment in Birmingham. Well, on Tuesday evening Flat 135 had a bowling night to get back together as a unit. We'd been missing each other because of the amount of work we each have to do at staggered times so we spent about a week or two reminding each other to make sure there's an evening free for all of us when we can do something together. Not being familiar with the entertainment, we just thought to go bowling and had a sheet of vouchers, provided by Katy's friend, for Lakeside Superbowl. Winner! The offer on the vouchers were misleading, though, so I really advise either phoning to check or expecting the worst. Ours said 'One Free Game per person per lane'. To me, that means one free game for everyone in one lane. To them, it means only one person gets a free game. The 'venue' wasn't too bad. It was pretty easy to get a strike or at least half-strike (or whatever it's called). We did book a lane beforehand which is most definitely advised because almost all lanes were in use when we arrived (about 8.30pm). I was told that the bowling alley in Five Ways has a student night on Tuesdays when you can pay £6 each for unlimited bowling, provided you have proof of being a student (usually NUS, sometimes they accept the University provided card). In retrospect, we should've gone there. Apparently it's closer to the Vale and it is far better value for money. We paid about £5.30 each for Lakeside Superbowl, for one game. I'll have to look into the Five Ways student night, perhaps for next week.

Apparently either Friday or Thursday was the official beginning of consumer Christmas because it was exactly five weeks away. From what I remember, that's where the countdown starts in the film Love Actually so it is officially the arrival of Christmas (though there is debate between the 5 week mark and the moment you see the Coca-Cola advert). I went to Birmingham to do some shopping in the Bull Ring (to get a hockey stick, purse, pub golf outfit and photos developed, if you're interested) and it was pretty busy. The queues for the escalators are always absolutely epic. Selfridges was getting rather busy, too, and that's usually comfortable. I am planning on doing my Christmas shopping between the 11th and 15th of December because that's when I'll actually have my Christmas budget, so I'll be able to report back about that before I take a break for Christmas and New Year (that's right, you're getting an extra week!). For anyone who has experienced Christmas shopping in Meadowhall, Sheffield, imagine a shopping centre far bigger than Meadowhall and multiply the number of people by about four. I'll confirm that estimation in whichever week that falls in. Technically week 12.

I feel like I should include details about CostCutter in here at some point. It is, after all, the most convenient place to buy the essentials (and more) if you live on the Vale. There's also Aldi, which is about 25-30 minutes walk from my flat and Sainsbury's which is 35 minutes walk. There's also a Tesco Express which is just 20 minutes walk in the same direction and a large Tesco in Five Ways which I've yet to go to. CostCutter, though, is topic here. For the weekly shop, the most popular option is to get together with a few people and order online from one of the major supermarkets because the more items you buy, the cheaper (sometimes free) the delivery. The convenience of getting it shipped to your door is good, also. There's something absolutely lovely about doing a big shop but then the carrying back isn't pleasant at all. It's surprising how uncomfortable a mildly heavy bag is to carry. I definitely recommend getting reusable, wider handled bags. It doesn't sound like a major issue but remember that living at Uni means you have to actually buy things yourself and can't depend on parents or guardians to do the weekly shop. On Wednesday I had a mini money and food crisis (that's what you get for allowing your desktop pc to get overheated and temporarily break, causing you to buy a laptop and reduce your budget from £80 to £30 a week) so I had to transfer over £50 from savings and do a logical shop at CostCutter. I spent just under £12 and got four chicken breasts, beef mince, cereal, curry, cheese, plums and I'm sure there was something else in there. Good value! I might, if I get some time, have a look round CostCutter and note down a basic price list for random stuff, just to give an idea.

As an aside, there is a fund open to people who come across hardship and desperately need some cash. There are conditions and I think it has to be repaid (though don't quote me on that). In any case, there's no need to worry about money when coming to University because there are ways to control cash flow and be efficient. Budgeting is encouraged and there are people who can help with students who are not sure where to start with money and financial issues.

Another thing I experience as new this week was Supersonic Vague at Gatecrasher. Birmingham's Gatecrasher, I'm told, is the biggest in the country. It really is worth a visit on a night even to experience it. Tickets for Supersonic Vague, which is the indie night every Friday with guest DJs like Razorlight and Reverend and the Makers, are available online for £3 plus £1.05 booking. The charge is to a debit or credit card and the ticket is sent to your phone. The ticket itself shows the logo, number of people to be admitted and has a black and white barcode-like image that is scanned on the door. It reduces queuing time majorly and makes for a smoother transaction. Inside Gatecrasher there are several themed rooms. The main room is where the guest DJs do their sets. I've heard stories about how busy it can get (so much so that you can't move, sometimes) but when I went I didn't have a bad experience at all. It was busy enough to create a good atmosphere but not too busy to feel claustrophobic. I only stayed in the main room, though, so when I go again I'll report back on the different rooms. The music wasn't too bad, either, with tunes from The Prodigy, Reverend and the Makers, Florence and the Machine, Calvin Harris and The Wombats to name but a few. That isn't restricted, however, because the other rooms keep their theme. For example, I think there's a room that plays cheesy pop and one that plays dub-step and doesn't change just because its Supersonic Vague in the main room. I may be wrong, though. More information is available on the Gatecrasher website.


My boyfriend and I at Supersonic Vague, Gatecrasher.

L-R Katy, Luke and Flo at Supersonic Vague, Gatecrasher.


Christmas in Birmingham.

Week 7: Jam House, Socials and Work Load

This week has been really difficult for me because I've had so much work to do. It has, however, been a satisfying week because I handed in my first essay (the one I've been talking about far too much) on Monday, which was a day early, and my lecturers are getting more friendly. Because of the nature of my course, there's a lot of contact time where the lecturer actually gets to know the student. Theatre Practice is taught in groups of about ten, the Dramatic Medium seminars are of a similar class size and PTPC is a discussion based module which allows for your own opinion (of theory) to be heard. Theatre Crafts is also taught in a smaller group and that was really interesting for me this week because we moved onto a new section: lighting. There's a lot of physics involved, in terms of how a lantern works and how the types differ, but it's really interesting. The group size makes asking questions much easier, too.

One thing that's really bothering me about the work load is that my Sundays are usually taken up by work. I'm definitely looking forward to 12th December when I can have a lay in and forget that I have an essay or two to hand in when I get back. I'm not going to lie, University really is hard work. There's a reason they organise accommodation: you have to have a study area to work and prepare for lectures and such. Of course there's the convenience of living with people so as to improve your social life and expand your social circles but having a room within a short walk to the University library is most definitely important. I may have mentioned before but the jump from sixth form or college to University can be a shock. That does mean, however, that the Christmas vacation is all the more rewarding. When the first year ends, that will be an incredible moment.

One highlight of week seven was the second/first year Drama social at Jam House. Jam House is a jazz bar/club owned by Jools Holland (the former member of Squeeze who hosts the 'New Year Hootenanny' as well as 'Later with Jools Holland', weekly) and is usually a 21+ venue (only admits those 21 years of age and older) but every Thursday is open to 18+. They are mainly a bar with live music but also serve food in a separate upstairs section that overlooks the band. I've been told that Jools not only owns the place but also makes appearances and performances every so often. My first experience of the place was a good one. The music was jazzy, as suggested by its owner's reputation, and atmosphere was really nice. I recommend this place to those who don't fancy getting claustrophobic in the massive clubs like Gatecrasher and Oceana. It serves as a fantastic place for a date as the mood is romantic but also provides an entertaining spot for a group to unwind. The beginning of the night was laid back with lots of sitting down and chatting about random things but once 10.30pm came, more people entered the dance floor and the joint livened up. You definitely aren't required to have a convincing dancing style but you are required to dress smartly. Jeans are acceptable if they are neither faded nor ripped. The girls wear cocktail dresses or smart trousers with a classy top. The website states that all male parties will not be admitted, which is a good excuse to get a female friend to transform into a swan for the night and have all eyes on her. The location of Jam House isn't fantastic, however, because I don't reckon it's a place I would walk to. It's definitely a taxi job. With places on Broad Street, it's possible to get a train into either New Street or Five Ways and walk the distance but Jam House is a little away from the hubbub of that area - though definitely not isolated.

Another highlight was Wednesday night: the first year drama social organised by one of my good friends, Katy. Because the second year rep (who apparently also caters for the first years) hadn't organised anything for the first years in terms of social events, Katy made an event on Facebook and found that most people on the course were well up for a fancy dress social to get to know each other. The theme was democratically decided as TV/Film Characters, to keep within the subject, and it was the talking point for the whole week prior. Ideas were exchanged and everyone got excited. The night was a fantastic success - no one had a bad experience. The costumes were fantastic, also, as shown below.


Some of the Drama first years at the Gun Barrels Pub for the TV/Film Characters fancy dress social.


Myself as Hermione Granger (Harry Potter) for the Drama social.

Week 6: Reading Week

Reading week is the equivalent of 'half term' but not in every sense. You are off timetable for the whole week, unless a lecturer rearranges a class or lecture which is likely but not common, and are expected to take the name of the week very seriously. In sixth form and college, half terms are a bit of a break to catch up on small pieces of work or do one or two hours of work that was given. Mainly, I used half terms as sleeping time and as a break. My first reading week at Birmingham was very different. I'd love to say I haven't stopped working but I did give myself, stupidly, a day or three off. I've still got most of my to-do list not crossed off. To be fair, I did have a few PC issues that distracted my attention away from the role of the chorus and audience in Greek Theatre and suchlike.

Following on from last week about my essay preparation, Monday wasn't necessarily a huge success with library findings. I did find similar books but not the ones I was after. That wasn't an issue, though, because as I mentioned the library has over 2 million volumes so even though I didn't find the exact titles I did find several useful books that I did use in my essay. That said, it was my first visit to the library (I do advise going to the library tutorials in Welcome Week or whenever your subject timetables them - I didn't because I was ill so I had to teach myself how to use the library... it's not difficult at all and you can teach yourself fairly easily but I can't help wondering if I might be able to find things less intimidating having gone to the tutorials) so I didn't expect to be an expert.

Having done an epic day of research, eventually finishing all my highlighting and note taking at 11.30pm, I was well prepared for Tuesday's essay writing day. Casually but carefully writing the essay, with perhaps one stop for a meal, 1500 words took me about four hours to type which isn't bad going. Nathan, a flatmate who just so happens to be awesome at proof-reading, had gone home for reading week so he agreed to proof-read from home through email. While I was waiting for him to get to that, I read through it myself (a printed copy, not on screen) and noted each mistake and phrase I needed to re-write. In my opinion, the tell of a good proof-reader is if they notice the same things as yourself if not more. I wouldn't advise getting a friend on the same course to proof-read unless they're in a different year because they'll have a set view in their head having done the same or similar essay. As the saying goes, the spectator sees more of the sport.

Perhaps something that may be of importance to people living away from home is computer trouble. A PC or laptop is an essential piece of equipment for university unless you want to rely on the library. When yours decides to die, it isn't a pleasant feeling. At least, it wasn't for me. Having bought all the parts for my PC (its a desktop) myself and let my PC genius brother build it for me, I have a bond with my tower that rivals the bond between me and my boyfriend. On Wednesday, when I came back from my first costume call, Mr Tower decided not to turn on. If I hadn't already done my essay, I may have panicked a little more than I did. I did (and still do), however, have an essay due for Tuesday 17th so a dead PC was not ideal at all. I'd been having issues with Mr Tower since Monday evening but it'd been nice to me so I spent about an hour leaving and returning to it to see if it would continue niceties. Apparently not. I didn't know who to contact about this because I hadn't paid the £60 for PC support, started this year by a company located in the refurbished area of the Guild, so I phoned the Vale reception (4040, free from your room phone) to ask if they knew who to contact. They told me to phone the main library and ask about their laptop surgery to see if they extended to desktop computers. I did that and the epically cool guy on the end of the phone said that the laptop surgery was, in fact, a trial thing that didn't quite work out so they weren't doing that any more. He did, however, shift me in the right direction to finding a company nearby who would help me out. I won't say the name of the company because though they got my tower to work again, they did manage to break something else then break the whole thing when trying to fix that, then when my boyfriend had a look he fixed it in under 20 minutes. In between trips to the shop and Oli being a legend, I did visit the Dell website and order a laptop. It's okay, though, because I got awarded a scholarship from University for getting AAB and when that money comes through in January I can replace it in my bank account. I was planning on buying a laptop, anyway, because it's far more convenient for library work and lecture (though being a Drama single honours student I only have one sit down lecture per week, not counting the lecture for my MOMD). So when my laptop comes through I'll have a desktop for work to be done in the flat as well as for procrastination with music and Facebook - and various other websites I'm addicted to like lolcats, Blogger, Youtube, Twitter, and the list goes on - and I'll have a laptop for work to be done at home and away from the flat in general. It also means I can test out the free Wifi in the library and various other hotspots on campus. And on trains. I've always wanted to do that.

Well I'd love to stay but I have reading group at 6pm at the Guild so I have reading to do!

Main Library

Week 5: Exploring Brum and Essay Talk

Apologies for another Monday post (though it should say Saturday). This is because I wrote the first draft on Saturday then forgot to write the concluding paragraph on Sunday because I was essay planning. This means that this post is in two parts. One written on Saturday, one written on Monday with new news.

Part 1:
Amazingly, Wednesday was the first day I've been out in Birmingham centre to do some shopping/browsing since I moved here. I've visited before briefly but never really had a proper look round. Wednesday was Neon Night at Gatecrasher so my boyfriend and I took the train from the University station to New Street and browsed the centre of Birmingham for anything that might be of use. We also walked through Brindley Place (gorgeous) to the NIA in search of a way to buy tickets to see the Stereophonics in March without paying extortionate booking fees. The box office was closed so that was a failed journey. (And the tickets were bought online as soon as we got back to the flat.) After that we sampled a few shops in Birmingham and had a browse round the city.

I'm not yet acquainted with the city enough to report back about it properly but I have noticed that a shopping trip at home in Doncaster takes me about an hour in which I can buy several (about 6) things whereas in Birmingham it takes me far longer because the place is so huge and the variety is epic. I went today to buy a sewing kit for myself and a coat for my boyfriend and it took us about three or four hours of browsing and shopping. The time does fly because there's so much to see and so many shops to look through (Selfridges is AMAZING!) but I was amazed at how many hours it took us to buy so little. The sewing kit purchase was because I've been allocated to do costume for Vinegar Tom (a play by Caryl Churchill, performed by the third years) so figured I may as well get equipped. We took ages browsing random shops like Claires and Debenhams before finally found a Cath Kidston section in Selfridges where I found a kit for £12.

Nothing particularly interesting has happened in lectures, classes and seminars this week apart from essay talk. In several lectures I've been given advice on writing the essays that've been set. I have one for the 10th, one for the 17th and one for January. Generally, its good to have the essay finished at least a week before deadline day so you can leave it for a few days and reread it to see if your points make sense and your argument is understandable after a sleep or three. It's also advisable to get a trustworthy flatmate to proof read it on paper (not screen) and see if they understand it (though obviously the theory may not be as understandable to them as to the person who will be marking it). A bad way to approach it is definitely the last-minute method that needs only an unhealthy supply of Relentless and one evening/night/morning. I won't be doing that any time soon.

Part 2:
So yesterday (Sunday) I spent a good few hours planning my first essay. I say planning, what I really meaning is planning the planning. That does make sense: allow me to explain. For every essay at University, you have to do proper references with a bibliography at the end. There are plenty of helpful guidelines on WebCT, the online database for documents (well organised for your subject), so there's nothing to worry about. The guidelines serve as a really good skeleton for adapting your own references (just replace their titles, authors, dates etc with your own from your reference). What I'm getting at here is that my method at the moment is to figure out which books or articles I'm going to reference and use in an essay, write a list of them, find out where they're going to be found (in the library, on the web, in a reading pack, my bookshelf, Amazon etc) and use that to direct my essay. I would publish my list but I think that would be some form of cheating so I can't really do that. I will say, though, that I've listed about four to six books from the library, a handful of weblinks including reviews and interviews from The Guardian and The Times and a few articles that are part of the essential reading on the course. This, I suppose, could give you a rough idea of what is expected. With that planning of planning done, today I'm off to the Main Library (fun fact: the university owns 2.5 million books including its Special Collection of over 80,000 pre-1850 books and 3 million manuscripts dating from 1471 - thanks to Thom Straw for that one) to find said books and make use of my highlighters.

On that note, I'm going to make myself some lunch. I did fancy spaghetti bolognese but I'm lacking in the fresh meat department and I'm very confused about how much money I have left this week (Week 6 budget fail) so it's just spaghetti and tomato-ey sauce for me. Student luxury!

Week 4: Remember that 'work' thing?

This week was a revelation week for me. It hit me that I have to keep on top of my work. Over the weekend I did take some work home with me (a huge anthology of drama and a folder for a module) but I still felt rather behind when I returned to classes on Monday afternoon. This can become an issue. Well, it effectively is an issue. Within the Drama freshers, one popular topic of discussion is 'how are you doing with your reading?'. The usual answer is 'I'm behind'. This isn't at all due to laziness but it's the change from sixth form to university.

For some people it hits a bit harder because they either have taken a gap year or did a course that didn't carry a large workload. I'm aware of how limited my experience of workload is here because I'm writing from the point of view of a Drama student. To give a wider outlook, from what I know, the person in my flat with the most work to do is Dan, a psychology student. Hearsay has it that psychology is one of the most work-intense degrees anyway so that's to be expected. Nathan, studying political science, has quite a bit of reading to do. Katy, studying Sport and Exercise Science, often has work to do that is quite complicated (at least from my point of view). I haven't asked Sarah (Geology/Geo Science) about her workload but she goes home every weekend without work to do, comfortably. Mike has the least amount of work to do, being an economics student. Today he showed how much work he has to do by playing basketball on his iPhone in the kitchen. He did look absolutely ridiculous so that evened out the bitterness of having a nice pile of reading waiting for me in my room.

In any case, the jump from sixth form (or college) to university is a shock for most people and its understandable to get a bit worried about the workload. It's Week Five now (the post title is retrospective because obviously week five hasn't completed yet) and I'm trying to get on top of my reading. It really is hard work and sacrifices must be made (that wonderful social life I had in Week 0, 1 and 2) but its satisfying when I can tick something off the to-do list.

L-R Sarah, Mikey, Dan, Katy. Battle of the Blocks in Barracuda, Tennis Court. Block 21: Zulu!

Week 3: Dealing With Freshers Flu

Apologies for not writing an informative post last week. Even bigger apologies are due because I thought that week I was unwell but it got even worse this week which made the other week, in comparison, look like I had as much inconvenience as swatting a rather annoying fly away in a big room. Either way, I've just about recovered and I'm back with a post. This week it should be useful because it's going to explain how I dealt with the dreaded Freshers Flu (which the other week was Freshers Sneeze Attack). Unfortunately I have a time limit (again) because I'm at home in Doncaster. The time is 10.22. My taxi to the train station is at 11.25. And I have other things to do. On with the post!

Upon arrival at the University, I was bombarded with calls of "Register for a Doctor!", "University Medical Practice!", "Dreaded swine flu!", "Death will be on you if you do not register for a Doctor!", "Do it nooowww!". Perhaps they didn't get as serious and forceful as the latter two but the former three are pretty good measures of warning. I knew how important this was but it took me about two or three weeks to actually do something about it, though I had planned to do it in freshers week while I had no pressure to actually work. It's the thought that counts, right? In any case, I registered which took me about half an hour at a push. I could've completed the forms in ten minutes but I had to keep a flatmate out of the flat for a certain amount of time so the rest of the flat could prepare for her birthday without her knowing. But that's not the point. The forms asked the expected questions about jabs and dates of said jabs. It's obviously important because they wouldn't ask otherwise but I couldn't remember which I'd had and when I'd had them so I asked if this was an inconvenience but was told to just leave them blank. I had my NHS card with me anyway so they could check it on my records, which is handy. There's nothing to worry about with the forms apart from the dreaded height and weight input. This means you're faced with having to actual find out. That's alright if you're happy with both statistics but for a lot of people they're not pleasant things to write down. C'est la vie.

Having registered at the University Medical Practice (which is on Prichatts Road, for anyone who really wants to know the details), I had them at my fingertips. To see a doctor or nurse, all I had to do was either phone up or visit and ask for an appointment or turn up at the appropriate times (check them, not me, for the right time slots) for the drop in clinic. As this week progressed, my cough and bunged up nose got worse and worse, along with the lovely conjunctivitis which decided to hate my eyes are various points and not warn me about this, so by Wednesday night I was forced to do the honorable thing: I phoned my Mum and moaned. I was warned when choosing my university top five that wherever I end up, however awesome the university is, if I get ill I will feel ridiculously homesick and if I'm down in Exeter (that was my favourite choice until I was persuaded to Brum's side by various credible sources) then I'd have to reach into my pocket, fork out £80 and get on a train for six hours. Because Birmingham is so central that once I'm in New Street (about five or ten minutes away from the university train station) I'm only one hour forty-five away from home. It's far enough to feel the buzz of being away from home but close enough to bridge the gap whenever I feel like it. It doesn't break the bank, too, at just under £30 for a return train ticket. I bet if I booked two singles a month before I could knock £10 off the price. You know what you can get for £10? I don't know yet, I haven't done my weekly shop. ...but I bet you could get quite a bit at Aldi (which is just 25 minutes walk from Tennis Court and 30 minutes walk from Shackleton).

And so onto the important bit of dealing with Freshers Flu: balancing it with University. As I'm not one who sees minor illness as an excuse out of duty (i.e. work, school, college, university etc) I tried not to miss any classes or lectures whilst suffering with such a disease. On Mondays I have a class in Theatre Practice, which involves practical group work in a big studio space that requires getting very close to everyone. To get to this session, I usually walk. Under such bodily attack I could walk only to Tesco Express (20 minutes from Tennis Court) where I usually get my lunch and/or fruit. When I was walking out of Tesco, I spotted a shining beacon of hope: a pharmacy! Being a rather eccentric and imaginative person, I shimmied (I didn't actually shimmy, I was feeling very ill at the time) up to the counter and asked if they had any 'magic' to cure me of my disease. I was shown the range of cough medicines and chose one that suited my wallet (by cost, not by design, that would be silly) and was advised of the wonders of lemonade ("It has sugar in it so it gives you energy and the lemon is really good for the throat"). I raised my eyebrow at this but remembered it for a flatmate who is unlikely to agree with my Mum's remedy of a cup of honey and lemon juice with hot water. Leaving the pharmacy, I found a bus stop up the road and managed somehow (this doesn't always work) to get the 61 for free.

When I arrived at SOVAC (Selly Oak Visual Arts Centre), I'd managed to work up a nice sweat just from sitting down. That's how bad flu is, kids. It was from this that I judged my available level of participation: zero. TP requires you to meet up with your group in a separate rehearsal room in the SOVAC to do a warm up together that is choreographed by the group using ideas from the classes, from books and from previous experience. I sat out of this week's fun and games and explained to Caroline, who runs TP for our group, that I couldn't take part in the fun this week. She graciously let me sit at the side of the room and take notes. I took this as very much a positive as it meant I could still be in the room and didn't have to clock up an absence. It also gave me a new perspective on the class, having always been in the action. I heard Stephen Fry quote once 'the spectator sees more of the sport'. Perhaps true.

The walk back from SOVAC was awful. I took the free bus as usual but even the five minute walk from the bus stop to my room took much concentration. It was this journey that made me realise that I could not do that again. I had to stay in bed on Tuesday. This is a good opportunity to explain what to do when you have no choice but to miss a class (note: not skip - miss). The proceedure for the Drama department is as follows: contact the office, not the person taking the class. This could be through phoning or emailing but must be done in advance. It can be done on the morning of the day but if you're sure you have to miss a class the night before, do it then. I do. Julie, in the Drama office, is very understanding if you have a proper reason to miss a class and passes the message on to the right person or people. When you return to classes, you have to fill out a medical form that is basically a self-certification. After a certain number of days in a succession, you have to have a note from a doctor or an approved extension from the department. I've had to email in three times so far to warn about missing classes and each time has been received politely and without any annoyance or stress. I suppose they expect that at this time of year there are plenty of people coming down with Freshers Flu.

I'm aware of the time right now so have to speed up to the climax of my dreaded disease. On Thursday morning I phoned the medical centre and booked an appointment. It is very important to actually phone in the morning because when I was sat waiting to be called in (at about 11am), I overheard someone trying to book an appointment but all was full until the afternoon where there was only a slot of about an hour. My doctor was very understanding and extremely sympathetic. She gave me a prescription for my friend Mr Conjunctivitis (which has gone, yay!) and suggested Solpadeine (which tastes disgusting but really does the trick) and ordered me to go home. She actually meant home rather than the flat, too, because she was worried I might spread flu round my flat and course. It was the best thing a doctor has ever told me to do. I took the first train of Thursday afternoon and got into bed at about quarter to four which was the best feeling in the world of feelings. There's nothing quite like spending four nights at home being looked after your Mother.

And with that, my taxi will be here in five minutes so I need to double check I have everything and prepare myself for taking back the epic bag I came with and the extra epic bag I've been given. Vegetables, yay!

Week 2: Ill

Freshers Flu.

Week 1 of Semester 1: A Very Complicated Week

From now on I'll be prefixing each post title with the week and semester number, just to be ever so organised. This addiction to organisation is a very handy tool for university because it means that everything (apart from my study/room) is neat and tidy. It also means I'm likely to not be snowed under with all the work I'm getting.

So last week I forgot to post about the fairs that went on every day at the Guild. As it's a week late, I'll just briefly explain: On Monday and Tuesday the Guild hosted the Freshers Fair which is, in one word, 'FREEBIES'. Companies from all over Birmingham flock to the Underground and Underground Lawn in the Guild to give away free stuff and promote whatever they're selling or advertising. For example, various pizza takeaways were giving out a free slice of pizza and lots of leaflets with discounts and student offers. Asda were giving out a food bag with essentially a three course microwaveable meal and a leaflet of student offers and vouchers. There was a majority of clubs and bars giving out vouchers and encouraging freshers to sign up to their mailing lists for queue jumping and discounted entry fees as well as raising awareness of student nights and drinks/food offers.

Tuesday was also the first day of the two-day Jobs Fair. JobZone, from the Guild, came down to raise awareness for their services (they help students of any year, any subject, any degree level, to get a job or work experience in any field) joining various companies who were looking for students to employ. The majority of jobs available were in retail and catering so they didn't appeal to me but I did pick up details from the Birmingham Hippodrome about volunteer work (which gives me the advantage of discounted tickets and, if I work as an usher, seeing a show for free). The job centre also had a stand and had with them lots of printed sheets with details of available jobs (surprising!) and a system to use to apply for them (find a job that appeals, write down the code, go back to your flat, think about it, go on the website, type in the code, apply). The one job from their list that sticks out in my mind was 'Occupational Therapist'. Not quite the same as 'Shop Assistant', really! A few of the jobs, including the aforementioned, paid very well whereas some were minimum wage or £6 an hour. It really did depend on the type of work, which is fairly obvious anyway.

Wednesday was the second Jobs Fair but I don't think I went to that one because I had a very busy day of Drama. Thursday was the Volunteering Fair and Societies Fair. I browsed the volunteering section and saw nothing of personal interest but I do remember seeing various companies from other countries who were promoting working abroad during summer, as well as one or two Forces stands. I think I saw something a bit bizarre like a company who were wanting students to promote volunteering by volunteering. I wasn't quite sure how they earned a profit through that but perhaps my flatmate, Mike, who is studying Economics and has a fascination with money making schemes (he joined the Poker society), could explain that. The societies fair was even more packed than both Freshers Fairs (yes, I went to both because I wanted a lot of freebies... and I wanted more to write about in here) AND it was stretched over two days. University of Birmingham is big on extra activities which is fantastic. I didn't hang around for a long time for the first day of societies because I knew exactly what I was looking for: GMTG (Guild Musical Theatre Group). It set me back £4 to join the society but I didn't have to pay to audition for the performances they set up. The joining fee meant I could go to the workshops, was on the mailing list and could have access to all the socials and outings they plan. Their first performance will be in a few weeks time and they've just finished the audition process. Its Sweeney Todd. I went to the open audition but found out the day later that I couldn't be cast because my Theatre Crafts backstage allocation clashed with the performance week. I wouldn't be able to make it. I spoke to the choreographer (who happens to be performing in Vinegar Tom, which was the clash) and she empathised and encouraged me to audition for the showcase in Week 4 because she thought my audition was really good. If I get a place in the showcase, I'll get to perform something on my own which is even better than a possible casting in Sweeney. As well as GMTG at the Societies Fair, there were several sports clubs and various 'pointless' societies which bring together people with similar interests and provide a cool way to meet people or develop skills. I was told there were lots of martial arts societies. The full list can be found here. What's great about the Guild is that if there is any society that you think is missing from the list, you can set up your own (provided that you find a certain amount of people who are also enthusiastic about the chosen topic). The most random societies, in my opinion, are: Ginge-Soc, Vegetarian, Neighbours, Tricksoc. There's even, I've just found out this second, a Wilderness Medicine society. That actually sounds really interesting. The brief description says they are a society who are interested in emergency medicine, trauma relief and practising first aid in remote areas. Useful! The sports clubs at this fair were a mixture of casual teams and university teams which were more serious. My flatmate Katy tried out for the tennis team and was so good that she got a place. This meant that she had to pay £210 for membership at the Priory Tennis Club (normally about £800) which is where the training and matches are played. She has training twice a week and tells us that she's not very good but to get onto the university team is a privilege so we'll see about that when her first match is scheduled. Friday was the second half of the societies fair. I didn't go to this one because I'd already signed up for the Musical Theatre society but I could've gone ahead if I wanted to. My flatmate Nathan is a member of several societies including Debating, Redbrick (the university newspaper) and various other things I've forgotten already. Most societies keep in touch via Facebook groups where they can advertise their next meetings, workshops, events and socials as well as news about the society, about anything linked to it and other random things.

And so onto this week! I should've really included all the above in last week's post but it doesn't matter now.

This week was the first official week of term. This meant that the frivolities had to be calmed down and studying began. Because I'm studying single honours Drama and Theatre Arts, I had to sign up for a MOMD (Module Outside Main Discipline). This meant reading up on the various modules available in various subjects and making sure the ones I was interested in would fit with my timetable. As I had an interest in studying religion, from taking R.E at GCSE and A Level, I chose a module from Theology: Introduction to Christian Theology. To sign up for the MOMD, I had to go to the MOMD Fair in the University Centre building on the main campus, collect a sign up sheet, fill it in with the correct codes and details, get the staff from the subject to sign it and hand it in to the admin desk. During sign up, you have to choose a first choice and second choice. This is because some modules are more popular than others and get filled up fairly quickly. Other modules don't have a cap (limit) so it isn't a problem to just turn up. I couldn't afford to wait for confirmation for my MOMD sign up, though, because the first lecture was on Monday (only three or so days after I signed up). I turned up and it was very interesting indeed. The lecturer (Dr Marius Felderhof) managed to make the basics sound really exciting and I was pleased I'd chosen that module. As the MOMD option was sprung upon me in the first induction for Drama, I was a bit lost as to how it worked so had to follow up the lecture with an email to Marius to ask what work I would have to do and what research would be relevant for me. I got an almost instant reply with the relevant documents (reading list, schedule, lecture notes for week one and two) which were also being uploaded to WebCT (the online network/library where important documents are uploaded for students to save and view, saving on paper and keeping things perfectly organised).

Before the Theology lecture on Monday, I had my first Theatre Practice class. This was in the Selly Oak campus (as are all my Drama classes, lectures and seminars) so it took me about 40-45 minutes to walk over. There's a free bus (got my bus pass/card from the Aston Webb building on the main campus) for students but I've yet to research the times that leaves in the morning, from Edgbaston Park Road. Also, walking over there is a nice way to keep fit and wake yourself up bright and early, though the route isn't very scenic (down Edgbaston Park Road, pass the Guild, turn right, up Bristol Road). In this class, we were given some reading for next week and told that we need to start arriving half an hour early to meet in the second rehearsal room to organise our own warm up routine. We would be teaching that to ourselves through our past experience and anything we wish to research. That'll be an interesting way to bond.

On Monday night we all went out to The Custard Factory to see Zane Lowe do a DJ set. He was fantastic! The whole club was a very bizarre arrangement because there was a massive (and fairly empty) room, with a DJ set, that you had to go through as you arrived, then down some stairs to and outside area where there was a pool/pond and an outside bar. Down one side was a disused factory building and round one corner was a burger bar. Further down, through what looked like the entrance to a shopping centre (but wasn't) was a two floor lounge area with toilets, another outdoor pool, another DJ set and two posh-looking bar areas which was packed. Past the first outdoor pool and bar was an odd looking DJ set which had a wall of colour. Through this area was the main room where Zane Lowe turned up at 2am. Before Zane, the DJ was playing indie tracks which I appreciated so much after the majority of nights out had included music just outside of my taste. The only really bad thing about this club was that the floor was covered in empty bottles that people had just thrown there. I had to shuffle my way out because I may have slipped on a bottle and seriously hurt myself. That's always something to look out for on nights out: make sure the floor is empty before walking normally.

I had Tuesday off because I had a timetabled seminar, which is pointless without the reading and lecture preceding it, so it was cancelled for the first week only. I exploited this spare time by finally reading through one of two plays (Greek tragedies) I was given to read for Friday. This one was the famous Oedipus the King. I would recommend reading that, if you have a tolerance for mild gore and shocking tragedy. I'd describe the play as strung out episode of the BBC's 'Who Do You Think You Are?'. You'll understand if you've read it.

Wednesday was a full day for me because there was an introduction to library services lecture in the OLRC in the Selly Oak campus as well as the PTPC lecture in which I was told to go and see a piece of theatre (of my choice) within three weeks, for a 1500 word analysis. There was a two and a half hour gap between PTPC and the library lecture which meant we had time to have lunch and socialise. Wednesday night was another night I was looking forward to: Skool Disco @ Risa. Unfortunately I didn't quite enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Risa is a fairly small club but it has something I haven't seen yet which is a chill room where you can go to relax and sit on some really comfortable sofas to have a break from dancing the night away. As it was Skool Disco, the selection of music was '90s cheese'.

Thursday was another free day, for me. I mostly hung out in the lounge with my flatmates and read the 'essential reading'. I had a night in, too, because I didn't fancy going to Gatecrasher. The guys ordered pizza (see, the freshers fair was useful) and probably played Poker or Rummy (I stayed in my room to read and chill). Friday was more full, though another night in for me and night out for the rest of the flat. As my course involves a lot of practical work in the university theatre, we had to endure a day of safety training. My schedule started with a talk about fire and the correct extinguisher for different fires which ended with various people in my group testing out their fire-fighting skills. A few people seemed to enjoy that a little too much. Next followed an hour talk about Manual Handling by Danny, the sound (literally and metaphorically) guy. After that was a talk about Risk Assessment. These two talks were in the HD Cinema area of the theatre (George Cadbury Hall), which, we are told, the BBC like to use. The final talk was about the production allocation project we were briefly told about at the first induction. For this, we have to keep a running log describing what tasks are allocated to yourself during the allocation. First years have to work on either costume crew or other crew. I've been allocated to be on the costume crew for Vinegar Tom, which I mentioned earlier. Each production is performed by third year students and the backstage crew is run by second year students, making performance week a hectic student-filled experience.

In the evening, everyone, minus me, in my flat went to see Calvin Harris at the Guild. I couldn't go because I've been suffering from Freshers Flu since about Tuesday. Thankfully, its going away so I'm feeling much better than before. I sold my CH ticket to a friend who didn't have one so it wasn't a complete loss. One of my friends came over, too, and we played a few card games and generally did a good job of procrastinating before I gave in and had to send him away so I could finish reading (yes, there's lots of reading to do in university).

Finally, Saturday (yesterday) was a very good day for me. I woke up after midday (finally!) and did lots of studenty things like turned my monitor round so I could watch the BBC iPlayer in bed, which works perfectly, by the way, with my free internet connection. From late afternoon onwards we decided to have a night in: just the boys and I. Katy and Sarah had gone away for the weekend to see their families. Mikey had gone away to see his girlfriend. We played Poker, which is a regular occurance in the flat, now, Jenga, and had custard with bananas (99p for a fair bunch at CostCutter).

And now I'm absolutely starving because I've been a dedicated blogger and stuck out writing this whole post without any breaks. I reckon it's spaghetti and spinach with a tomato pasta sauce, for me, today. It's amazing what you can make with very little food/skill.

Week 0: Moving and Settling In

Hello random readers! I may as well introduce myself considering this is the first post. There is a section somewhere on here with a few facts about myself but I can write more in here. I'm Vici Royle, I'm a Drama and Theatre Arts student at the University of Birmingham. I'm living a self catered flat Tennis Court (Centre Court, to be exact), which is part of the Vale student village. My family home is in Doncaster, near Sheffield, and I appear to be one of the very few northerners at the Uni. We're a rare breed. What else? As well as being clearly interested in theatre - acting, backstage stuff, theory and everything else to do with it - I like watching (not playing) ice hockey and I'm an utter Harry Potter nerd. In this here blog I'll be pretty much keeping track of what's going on in my life and how it feels to be a student living away from home (though my flat feels like a second home already) and facing up to proper adulthood.

And so onto the post! The week before moving to university was a bit hectic. I was sent a reading and equipment list which meant I had to buy two books (the complete works of William Shakespeare and a drama anthology) and some steel capped boots (the Drama course isn't just about acting, it also includes backstage work which includes building the set, props etc which requires safety equipment). I had a mini panic when I looked at the reading list because there were so many on the list. There were two must-haves, aforementioned, six 'essential reading' and a few more on general reading. I was advised that I didn't have to buy all of them and should just buy the must-haves and exploit the 2million+ volume library on campus. To buy all the essential and must-haves would've set me back over £100 so I was happy not to hand over so much money especially as being a student means this horrible thing called budgeting enters your life, which I will develop on later.

It took me two hours to drive to the university and I was still an hour early (I was allocated a time slot to move in). The atmosphere was incredible when I arrived. There was music blaring out of the TeCRA (Tennis Court Residents Association) office, a marquee to collect keys and Freshers Fest (I'll explain later) tickets as well as the internet CD and insurance. I'm in Block 21 which meant that I couldn't escape the blaring music (TeCRA office is just downstairs) but that didn't matter at all because it added to the excitement of moving in. Naturally I let my Mother sort out the kitchen stuff while I set up my PC and put my books away. The internet was very easy to set up and took only ten minutes and a restart. There were three options: free, £70 and expensive. I chose the free package and it's really good. I haven't yet tried to watch anything on the iPlayer or 4OD so that could be a good measure to see how awesome the internet is but I'm sure that won't be an issue at all.

My flatmates (there are six of us in my flat) arrived at staggered times with one arriving a day late because he couldn't make the allocated move in day, which wasn't a problem at all (though he did have to arrive before 8.30 to get his keys whereas my move in time was 12.30 - 13.30). There was a welcome meeting the whole of Tennis Court at 2.30pm so we had enough time to organise the important things in our rooms and the kitchen, to remember names and sit around in the lounge to chat. We all agree that we were really lucky with flatmates because we already feel like we've known each other for ages and act like a family. If there are any problems (cleaning, for example) then there's never an argument because we all understand that we have to look out for each other and make sure we're all happy to live together. We get along really well, too, so that helps. There are already a few in-jokes and lots of funny stories.

The girls and I made a few friends on the way to the welcome meeting who, we found out, were living in the block right next to us, so we've seen them alot all week. We actually class one of them as the extra flatmate because he spends so much time in our flat. It was really easy to make friends with random people here because most people are very social and like to knock on random doors to say hello and get to know everyone. Danny, one of my flatmates, has a mission to get to know the name of everyone in centre court by the end of the year. He's already off to a flying start.

After we all settled in on Sunday, we went down to Bar One at the Hub in the Vale for a drink. Unfortunately the frivolities were cut short when there was a fire alarm and we were all evacuated. We all went back to the flat to play a few card games and make the most of the first night, regardless.

Monday was the start of the Freshers Fest. This is a university organised festival that includes nights out almost every day of the week (not compulsory) as well as vouchers for one free admission at the cinema, one free game of bowling and one free comedy night at Jongleurs. There were various levels of the pack depending on what the individual wants to get involved in. I bought the Silver Package which included all the nights in FF as well as Calvin Harris for next Friday and the Freshers Ball, which was last night. The Gold Package also includes N-Dubz. The prices ranged from cheap to expensive. The most expensive (gold) was £65 plus postage/booking fee and the cheapest was just a Freshers Ball ticket at £20 plus postage/booking fee. There's also a comedy night with an actor from The Inbetweeners for £7. You could buy individual tickets for Calvin Harris, N-Dubz and the Freshers Ball if you so wished to. That was mainly for people who missed out on buying them online before arriving at University.

Wednesday wasn't a particularly nice start, for me, because I had to wake up at 7am after a late night to make sure I was down at the Selly Oak campus for 10am, it being a 45 minute walk away. The reason for this was an introduction lecture to the course. There was a Facebook group already set up for the people doing Drama at Birmingham so I posted a notice to say that anyone who wanted to walk down together should meet in the Centre Court courtyard. About ten people turned up, a few from other halls but mostly TC. We had a lovely walk down to the Selly Oak campus, together, chatting breeze on the way. After the introduction to all the staff and the basic structure of the course, we were given the name of our Personal Tutor and had a meeting with them where we were given our timetable. We had to work out which slots were ours because there were various groups. I have Thursday off, which is nice. I doubt I'll actually have it off compeltely though because I've been advised that for every hour of contact (a lecture, a seminar etc) I have to do five hours of reading. I have about eight hours, at a guess, of contact, per week.

This morning my student finance information arrived in the post (which was delivered directly to my flat) so I could embrace the lovely task of budgeting. I chose to organise a weekly budget. I'm getting the full tuition fee loan, which I won't see because it is paid directly to the University, the full maintenance loan (income assessed) and a non-repayable grant which means I'll be surviving on £80 a week, which is very comfortable. As well as that funding, I'll be getting two bursaries from the University which are paid in two installments in January and May, I believe. I'll comment on them when I get them because they're irrelevant at the moment. With the budget I'll be able to do a limited weekly shop, save some money for laundry (£2.20 for a wash, £1 for the dryer), have a few notes for entertainment and perhaps save some money for summer or birthdays/Christmas.

And with that I'm off to make myself some dinner and hang out with the flatmates who have arrived back from wherever they escaped to. I should be updating this blog once a week with the happenings of Birmingham so do come back every Saturday or Sunday to see what's going on in Flat 135.