The Student Room Group

Ramblings on Edinburgh, rain & art.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 20
In that case I'll end up spending ALL of my savings :frown:

I've made progress :biggrin: I found the person that's supposed to be in the flat next to mine on Facebook, she had to go home for the weekend but she'll be back during the week...handily she's also at Uni of :smile: I'm hoping she can be persuaded to go to some things together...it looks like she likes horse riding so we can join the equestrian club :cool:

Okay. Getting a bit ahead of myself there. I'm just inordinately pleased that there IS someone next door (eventually) and that I was brave enough to ask...I invited her round for tea whenever she's around. So that's doubly brave. I might regret that. :/

I think I will go see Laki Mera. As long as there's no crippling anxiety in the next hour.
Original post by twinlensreflex
In that case I'll end up spending ALL of my savings :frown:

I've made progress :biggrin: I found the person that's supposed to be in the flat next to mine on Facebook, she had to go home for the weekend but she'll be back during the week...handily she's also at Uni of :smile: I'm hoping she can be persuaded to go to some things together...it looks like she likes horse riding so we can join the equestrian club :cool:

Okay. Getting a bit ahead of myself there. I'm just inordinately pleased that there IS someone next door (eventually) and that I was brave enough to ask...I invited her round for tea whenever she's around. So that's doubly brave. I might regret that. :/

I think I will go see Laki Mera. As long as there's no crippling anxiety in the next hour.

I am assuming you're there now. Remember everybody is in the same boat, also nervous about making friends. A smile and an invitation to sit and chat is all it takes.

Paper Tiger is indeed a dangerous area for your loan.
Reply 22
I went - which was an achievement :biggrin: But my NUS card apparently isn't suitable for ID to prove I can drink (even though it has my DOB and a picture of me on it...a picture from two days ago!), and because I'm visually impaired I can't drive. So I'm going to have to take my passport with me everywhere. :angry: So yeah, I was a bit stressed by that, so I couldn't drink (alcohol is normally very good at removing SOME anxiety). And things were running incredibly late, I waited for almost 40 minutes and the support band hadn't even finished setting up yet. So I gave up and tried to call a taxi to take me home, except I think I got the address wrong where I was so nothing showed up. So I freaked out.

Someone came and asked if I wanted to go into Teviot with her because she was by herself too, and probably quite foolishly I said no because I was in state and just wanted to get home. I had to go find a fresher volunteer who took me to someone to ring a taxi for me because my original one never turned up.

So hardly the best first time I go out by myself! I think it would have gone a lot better had I a) had someone to go with and b) been able to drink. Ah well. Another time.

I don't have much planned for today, I might get around to working out how the microwave works. I've done some washing (more out of anything to do...oh dear), it's currently in the dryer. I had a mini conversation with some guy. My mum rang and was all worried because she happened to ring up when I was freaking out last night. Even though I felt incredibly ****ty last night (more than before) I feel much better than before. For now, no more Freshers events. It's painful when I have no one to go with - and I know the whole point is I go to events to meet people, but everyone comes in groups anyway so I look very obviously like a loner. So today... I have an appointment at 3:30 with one of the disability advisors to discuss how I'll manage in lectures and so on (I have a voice recorder from my DSA, so I'm pretty much set).

Other than that...not a lot else! My neighbour is moving in at some point during this week, she's a third year but she's been living at home so she missed out on some of her freshers stuff, so she said she'd like to go on some of the tours, which'll be nice :smile: I might go find the record shop that I walked past on Saturday, might go get some coffee, look for a shoulder bag. Nothing particularly strenuous.

My feet really don't like me at the moment, I've been walking pretty much everywhere (and I've gotten lost a few times so I've walked further than strictly necessary...) It's a bit grey at the moment, so I'm hoping it won't rain on me...
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 23
Today has been a lot better.

I found a lovely health food shop about five minutes from me. I looked in a record shop (but the records were in a crap condition). I wandered and ambled about and only used the map on my phone twice. I posted a letter to my cousin (he's 11 on Friday). I bumped into someone I haven't seen for about twelve years on my way to the library - I knew she was coming here, but it was still really odd! And I found out someone I used to go to school with is also at ECA, but doing architecture. So I messaged her to say hi, we're in the same introductory meeting tomorrow. :smile: Aaaannd I met someone on my floor! She's two flats down and also at ECA, but first year textiles so we won't have classes together, but I guess we could always walk in together or something :smile: I forgot to ask her her name, so who knows if we'll be in the same intro meeting tomorrow! :smile:

I've been on a bit of a baking spree - I made scrambled tofu for lunch, pasta for tea and I've just made biscuits in a MICROWAVE. I didn't even think it was possible! :tongue: Admittedly it does turn into a fan oven... I forgot to rotate the tray so one side are quite burnt and the side is a little under-done. But they taste okay.

I'm not bothering to go out tonight, obviously. :tongue: And...I feel a lot less stressed having decided that :biggrin: When I have people to go with...then yeah, I'll deal with it then. For now I'm fairly content.
That's excellent. See how far you've come already. Things can only get better.
Reply 25
Hey, I was pointed over into this direction by carnationlilyrose :smile:

I'm moving into my uni accommodation this weekend and I am getting really nervous D: From what I've read here, we sound very similar! I'm doing a graphic design course (so we're both arty), I'm an only child, vegetarian, mum thinks Tesco is evil, been going to festivals since I was a kid, and love olives and tea :P If I was at the same college as you, I'd offer to buddy up with you! But sadly I am just at Staffs Uni...not so exciting haha. I hope you get on well with things :biggrin:
Reply 26
Original post by LizMrg
Hey, I was pointed over into this direction by carnationlilyrose :smile:

I'm moving into my uni accommodation this weekend and I am getting really nervous D: From what I've read here, we sound very similar! I'm doing a graphic design course (so we're both arty), I'm an only child, vegetarian, mum thinks Tesco is evil, been going to festivals since I was a kid, and love olives and tea :P If I was at the same college as you, I'd offer to buddy up with you! But sadly I am just at Staffs Uni...not so exciting haha. I hope you get on well with things :biggrin:


Ahh a girl after my own heart! :tongue: I wish you the best of luck - its been incredibly scary at times, but even over three days it's gotten better, so I hope it's the same for you :smile: my mum lectures graphics! :biggrin:
Reply 27
I put a note through textiles-girl's door this morning, she's in the meeting before mine. But I know her name & invited her for tea. :biggrin: I'm currently waiting to meet someone, one of my old photography teachers had her for art and told me to email her. So we've been messaging since July. We're on the same meeting too :smile:

It's lovely & sunny, but windy. So my fingers are cold!
Reply 28
Aaaand it's all gone to **** again. Hello, anxiety. So nice to see you again.

Evidently I'm not in the best of moods :tongue:

The meeting this morning was alright, kinda boring and not too useful. I wasn't particularly talkative meeting up with the person who went to the same college as me, so that didn't go brilliantly. I went and got my university card though. I tried to go the meet & greet, but textiles-girl wasn't going and I didn't really wanna ask the girl I'd met earlier when our first meeting wasn't brilliant! So I tried going by myself. I got there fine, I found it after getting a little lost in the building. But it's just...not something I can do alone. My eyesight really isn't brilliant, I can't recognise people from across a room, I can't really see enough to know where I was meant to go and if I wasn't meant to add my name to register or anything. Or where to even get a cup of tea! I walked across the room, and mimed ringing someone (which is what I do when all else fails) so I left again. Time spent? Less than a minute.

So I went to the nearest library to me to hand in my National Entitlement Card, and the woman was entirely stupid and for ages refused the medical evidence I did have of my disability before she realised what I initially showed her was the right thing. That took ages and was really frustrating. It wasn't a particularly nice library either.

Only good thing was my neighbour turned up to put more stuff in her room, so she came to say hi. Again, probably not the best of impressions. I was stressing about the meet & greet :L

My parents keep ringing me. Which I'm okay with - but insisting I ring three-four times a day? I don't like that. Yeah, I get they're worried (heck, I'M worried) but that's just...not the right way of going about it really. They're in a holiday house with no wifi/reception, so I'm just lucky they aren't constantly facetiming me. -_- They offered to come up tomorrow, I don't want them to. Because then it'll be painfully obvious to them that I don't really belong here, that I'm not settling in brilliantly and my mum will probably kidnap me and take me home. And I don't do talking about emotions (at least not verbally) and that'd be inevitable if they came up. It's bad enough on the phone.

At this right I won't have met anyone and I won't have gone to any freshers events either. Which means I wasted £35 on a stupid freshers pass thinking i"d save myself money.

I really hope the rest of the semester is better than freshers week.
Reply 29
The disability advisor I spoke to yesterday just rang me up, because they had a message from my mum saying that I was very upset. Which has really pissed me off - my mum didn't tell me she was going to do that, and there was no need to. Sure, I'm not having a brilliant time all day long but Sunday night was the only time I could count as being really upset. And I just know to avoid that for the moment. Apparently I've been sounding increasingly stressed (maybe because they keep ringing me up and it's very hard to actually enjoy myself when I'm either expecting a phone call or my phone is constantly ringing?). Once I'm doing things I'm comfortable with I'm fine. It's just the uncomfortable things that are the problem.

Anyways. No doubt mother will bring that up tonight. :angry: I know they're worried and stuff, but...my mum complains a lot about parents of her students who interfere with their kids & the university. I'm sure that's what she just did. Disability advisor woman has referred me to a mental health mentor (being paid for by SFE), I'm not entirely keen on the idea. I do not do talking about emotions to anybody, definitely not someone new who I've only just met. Ugh. She's also trying to set me up with a "buddy" from my course or at ECA to make sure I can get about okay (she implied they'd come with me at night, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with that - I more than likely wouldn't go because the person wouldn't be a 'friend' and I'd feel bad making them come out when they probably had better things to do). So well done mother, worrying the poor advisor woman and thinking something terrible had happened since yesterday.

What does it matter that I can't go out? What does it matter that I've already bought tickets to two concerts (one in Glasgow in October and another in November here)? What does it matter that I'll simply be too anxious to talk to anyone ever. Does it even matter that I lack absolutely any ability to trust people? Or that my social skills are crap? No, it shouldn't matter. I've had a whole lifetime to get used to it. You might think I"m being slightly melodramatic (maybe I am, I don't know anymore) but I have never experienced having a real, honest to goodness friend. I've never been one either. I had a handful of friends in primary school, there's people on a website I talk to a bit, there's someone I text a lot and consider to be like a little sister to me but I've never met her.

I'm eighteen years old and I've never had a real friend. And I have no idea how to find one - or be one in return.

I'm tired of freshers. I might drag myself out tomorrow and go on a see the city tour or something. I'm exhausted, I don't sleep much and I've been walking probably in excess of three miles each day. I don't want to go home, I want to be here. I just want to feel accepted here, that's all.
Original post by twinlensreflex
The disability advisor I spoke to yesterday just rang me up, because they had a message from my mum saying that I was very upset. Which has really pissed me off - my mum didn't tell me she was going to do that, and there was no need to. Sure, I'm not having a brilliant time all day long but Sunday night was the only time I could count as being really upset. And I just know to avoid that for the moment. Apparently I've been sounding increasingly stressed (maybe because they keep ringing me up and it's very hard to actually enjoy myself when I'm either expecting a phone call or my phone is constantly ringing?). Once I'm doing things I'm comfortable with I'm fine. It's just the uncomfortable things that are the problem.

Anyways. No doubt mother will bring that up tonight. :angry: I know they're worried and stuff, but...my mum complains a lot about parents of her students who interfere with their kids & the university. I'm sure that's what she just did. Disability advisor woman has referred me to a mental health mentor (being paid for by SFE), I'm not entirely keen on the idea. I do not do talking about emotions to anybody, definitely not someone new who I've only just met. Ugh. She's also trying to set me up with a "buddy" from my course or at ECA to make sure I can get about okay (she implied they'd come with me at night, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with that - I more than likely wouldn't go because the person wouldn't be a 'friend' and I'd feel bad making them come out when they probably had better things to do). So well done mother, worrying the poor advisor woman and thinking something terrible had happened since yesterday.

What does it matter that I can't go out? What does it matter that I've already bought tickets to two concerts (one in Glasgow in October and another in November here)? What does it matter that I'll simply be too anxious to talk to anyone ever. Does it even matter that I lack absolutely any ability to trust people? Or that my social skills are crap? No, it shouldn't matter. I've had a whole lifetime to get used to it. You might think I"m being slightly melodramatic (maybe I am, I don't know anymore) but I have never experienced having a real, honest to goodness friend. I've never been one either. I had a handful of friends in primary school, there's people on a website I talk to a bit, there's someone I text a lot and consider to be like a little sister to me but I've never met her.

I'm eighteen years old and I've never had a real friend. And I have no idea how to find one - or be one in return.

I'm tired of freshers. I might drag myself out tomorrow and go on a see the city tour or something. I'm exhausted, I don't sleep much and I've been walking probably in excess of three miles each day. I don't want to go home, I want to be here. I just want to feel accepted here, that's all.


hey, I'm not at uni quite yet but I have had past experiences with not making friends :smile: I think you just have to be yourself and when you meet people, ask them questions about whether they've had a good summer, where do they come from etc and eventually you should find plenty of things to talk about. I assume you're really art? Maybe talk about that to people and what interests you, I have a friend who's really arty and she's tells me what her latest project is.
I'm not particulaly the most talkative person in a group, sometimes I can be really quiet but I talk to as many people as possible, be confident and smile :smile: Because I think that's one best things you can do. I don't think many people can say they have lots of 'friends', I can only think of about 4 or 5 people who I can properly call a friend of mine. Hope this post helps! :biggrin:
Reply 31
Original post by pink pineapple
hey, I'm not at uni quite yet but I have had past experiences with not making friends :smile: I think you just have to be yourself and when you meet people, ask them questions about whether they've had a good summer, where do they come from etc and eventually you should find plenty of things to talk about. I assume you're really art? Maybe talk about that to people and what interests you, I have a friend who's really arty and she's tells me what her latest project is.
I'm not particulaly the most talkative person in a group, sometimes I can be really quiet but I talk to as many people as possible, be confident and smile :smile: Because I think that's one best things you can do. I don't think many people can say they have lots of 'friends', I can only think of about 4 or 5 people who I can properly call a friend of mine. Hope this post helps! :biggrin:


Thank you :biggrin: it's like I just forget how to talk if I'm near people :tongue:
Reply 32
How earth did this get so many views?! :tongue:

Anyway. I'm going to the societies & volunteering fairs. My parents decided to come up to take me to lunch. They go back home on Friday.

Did I say I met my neighbour yesterday? She hasn't moved in yet still but she seems nice :smile:
Reply 33
Weell. Today has been nice :biggrin: My parents did come up, we looked around art galleries and went out for dinner. They also randomly bought me a pack of beer. My dad also bought me a 40 piece tool set which was delivered today (the night security guy just rang me up to tell me it was here, I can never miss a parcel now!), either to make me feel like a 'proper' lesbian (I already have sensible shoes, thanks) or because he expects to need to fix something if they come to stay up here again :tongue: Anyway, that's exciting. There's pliers which are useful.

I went to the societies fair and wandered about for half an hour, but it was really noisy and I couldn't really tell which each stall was. But I met someone on the way! She asked me where Pleasance was (which was where I was going) and her phone map was pointing in totally the wrong direction), so we walked together :smile: She was American and doing an MA in International Business, so I doubt I'll see her again! I spoke to someone though, aren't you proud?!

Even better my parents bought the first disc of season three (I think? Or is it four?) of House for me to watch :biggrin: They're gonna post me the second disc once they finish it :biggrin: My neighbour moves in on Monday... I also have the brand spanking new Amanda ****in' Palmer album (although my physical copy is in Leicester :angry:) - my download code didn't work, but my dad sent me his instead :smile: So I'm emailing him all the HUGE files.

Today has been better. Things do get better. I know my way around pretty damn well for only having been here four days. It helps being a bit away from the art college, I have to explore. :smile: Anyway - if you're an anxious soon to be fresher reading this - things get better, even if they aren't always brilliant. I know there's going to be a lot of times when I'm still anxious and I don't like it, but all of today has been good. I might even make it to a few freshers events tomorrow :biggrin: It's a massive change, more the fact that Edinburgh is pretty much TOTALLY new to me (not that I'm unused to looking after myself or cooking). I think anxiety and my ****ty sight only exacerbate that change, so I'm probably taking longer to get used to stuff. But right now, I'm happy.

Even if I never meet anyone I connect with, I love Edinburgh. There's even been sunshine. Want proof?

7975723894_7cdaf17e39_z.jpg
Original post by twinlensreflex
Weell. Today has been nice :biggrin: My parents did come up, we looked around art galleries and went out for dinner. They also randomly bought me a pack of beer. My dad also bought me a 40 piece tool set which was delivered today (the night security guy just rang me up to tell me it was here, I can never miss a parcel now!), either to make me feel like a 'proper' lesbian (I already have sensible shoes, thanks) or because he expects to need to fix something if they come to stay up here again :tongue: Anyway, that's exciting. There's pliers which are useful.


You know, when you said tool set I thought you meant for your art, like small chisels and craft knives and whatnot. NOT LEGITIMATE TOOLS. Eh, won't do any harm to have it :biggrin:
I'm so glad you're feeling more comfortable already! You're being so positive, it's making me a little less anxious about moving etc myself :smile: You seem really cool though, it's a shame you left Leicester :biggrin: I would've been happy to meet you!
Hopefully you'll go to some Fresher's events tomorrow and it'll be as good as today ^_^
Reply 35
Original post by sliceofcake
You know, when you said tool set I thought you meant for your art, like small chisels and craft knives and whatnot. NOT LEGITIMATE TOOLS. Eh, won't do any harm to have it :biggrin:
I'm so glad you're feeling more comfortable already! You're being so positive, it's making me a little less anxious about moving etc myself :smile: You seem really cool though, it's a shame you left Leicester :biggrin: I would've been happy to meet you!
Hopefully you'll go to some Fresher's events tomorrow and it'll be as good as today ^_^


Well I already have an AMAZING Stanley knife - the blades are double sided, so when one blade gets blunt you take it out and turn it round :biggrin: There's a daft amount of screwdriver bits in the daft kit :frown:

Awh, I'm glad I can be useful! When do you move in? You're from Leicester?! :eek: *waves*
Original post by twinlensreflex
Well I already have an AMAZING Stanley knife - the blades are double sided, so when one blade gets blunt you take it out and turn it round :biggrin: There's a daft amount of screwdriver bits in the daft kit :frown:

Awh, I'm glad I can be useful! When do you move in? You're from Leicester?! :eek: *waves*


That sounds like a sweet knife! I have a small box of craft knives of different sizes with a selection of blades. You don't realise you need so many different shapes! They all cut!

I move in a week today :smile: Most of my stuff is packed up now, I think I'll finish it off Monday/Tuesday afternoon. I'm not quite from Leicester (mind you, I WAS born there...) I'm from Leeds but I'm going to Leicester University ^_^ *waves*
Reply 37
Original post by sliceofcake
That sounds like a sweet knife! I have a small box of craft knives of different sizes with a selection of blades. You don't realise you need so many different shapes! They all cut!

I move in a week today :smile: Most of my stuff is packed up now, I think I'll finish it off Monday/Tuesday afternoon. I'm not quite from Leicester (mind you, I WAS born there...) I'm from Leeds but I'm going to Leicester University ^_^ *waves*


Ooh i"m jealous! My mum doesn't trust me with knives :frown:

G'luck! I hope it all goes well for you :biggrin: Well I was born in the Royal Infirmary :wink: Ooh my sixth form was right next to Leicester Uni, so we got to use their Starbucks (they have GIANT sofas!). Which course are you doing?
Original post by twinlensreflex
Ooh i"m jealous! My mum doesn't trust me with knives :frown:

G'luck! I hope it all goes well for you :biggrin: Well I was born in the Royal Infirmary :wink: Ooh my sixth form was right next to Leicester Uni, so we got to use their Starbucks (they have GIANT sofas!). Which course are you doing?


Thank you :biggrin: Hm... is the Royal Infirmary the same as the General Infirmary? Google doesn't make it clear for me D: but I was born in the General Infirmary! I've been in the student union at UoL, it IS really nice in there! I'm the one from the first page (that followed because I'm nosey and your room is nice :biggrin:), studying History of Art :smile:
Reply 39
Original post by sliceofcake
Thank you :biggrin: Hm... is the Royal Infirmary the same as the General Infirmary? Google doesn't make it clear for me D: but I was born in the General Infirmary! I've been in the student union at UoL, it IS really nice in there! I'm the one from the first page (that followed because I'm nosey and your room is nice :biggrin:), studying History of Art :smile:


Aha, sorry - I'm terrible at recognising people! :colondollar: Aye, as far as i know it is. It's fairly close to the university anyway (if you get the 49 bus from Welford Rd into town you'll go past it :smile:). They have scary lifts that don't stop in one of the buildings though! *shudders*

Quick Reply

Latest