Freshers’ Week; what every fresher was looking forward to, began! The week was all about getting to know your flatmates, meeting new people, socialising and joining societies. We had parties every night too!
There was not much opportunity to meet new people back at the Malaysian campus during my time there. The campus was ‘young’ and the university community was still small. I made great friends at USMC but there is just something fun about meeting new, elementarily different people. Freshers’ Week created opportunities for people to mix and get to know each other.
Soon afterwards, timetables were made official and lectures began. I was genuinely concerned by the fact that lecture theatres will now be filled with 200 students instead of the usual 25 I was used to at the Malaysian campus. What if I had doubts? What if I asked the lecturer an idiotic question? What will the other 199 students think of me? From what I’ve experienced, you’ll get over that fear as soon as you accept the different teaching atmosphere here.
Just a tip: Before the USMC batch transitioned to the UK, we were cautioned that the lecturers at the Highfield campus will not be as easily accessible as the lecturers at the Malaysian campus were. Although this is true to a certain degree, I learnt that lecturers are always just an email away. Drop them an email and they will be happy to spend some time answering your queries. Not too difficult, is it?
It has been four months now since I made Southampton home. I often get asked if coping to a new environment is as easy as I make it look with all my cheerful tweets on Twitter and seemingly beautiful captures on Instagram. Honestly, it really is! I make sure I have amazing times with the best company whilst of course completing those occasional galling assignments. Of course, the weather does make life difficult at times but hey, everybody looks a tad bit better in a cardigan!
And autumn makes the best pictures!
