Day 10...
Manchester!
Is it weird to list a place I no longer live in as something that makes me happy? I think not. The city held so much for me, I learnt about who I am, I fell in love, I felt regret and disappointment, I made some of the best friends in the world and I started this blog! Truly it was probably the most formative 4 years of my life!
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| Cycling to Salford Quays :) |
Here's a list of 20 things to remember that a fellow Mancunian, Dee, wrote to her sister starting University there, I think it's pretty apt so I wanted to share it (with her permission of course) with not only people going to Manchester but to all the people starting university this year.
1. Do attend ALL your lectures, tutorials and labs, if you can. You can fool yourself into saying ‘yeahh, I can learn this stuff on my own and read the power-point slides’ but it will take longer that way. Be engaged and AWAKE.
2. On that note, wake up early enough. Don’t stumble into lecture halls bleary-eyed at 9.01am, the way I did for the first couple of years.
3. Don’t be a lone ranger. Make full use of tutorials or Problem-Based Learning to solve questions as a group, you get more perspective that way.
4. I’m not sure about civil engineering exams, but for mine, most never really follow past paper’s format so do take the time to understand deeply the theory behind it and have it at your fingertips especially when the time constraint is very, very tight. Move away from SPM mentality where it’s about working the format.
Social:
5. This is the time to try what you like and get out of your comfort zone! Fencing, Frisbee, hockey, lacrosse etc. You mention you’re not good at team sports. I do recommend trying for at least a semester just to challenge yourself. You might surprise yourself.
6. The University of Manchester’s orchestra is active and put on pretty damn good performances so you could think about joining that. Don’t be like me, where I’ve lost a lot of my saxophone and piano skills.
7. Get to know as many people from different backgrounds, cultures and countries as you can. It doesn’t mean that you lose your Malay roots when you mix around (provided you always remember where you’re from). There’s a lot of value in finding out different mentalities and psyches – keep an open mind and be tolerant.
8. The volunteering scene is very active in Manchester! But do choose well and don’t do it just because.
Food:
9. There will be A LOT of temptations. Do enjoy the occasional kebab and chip naan but don’t make the take-outs a permanent fixture in your diet. I gained 12kg in my first year and took three years to properly lose them.
10. Keep a look-out for promotions/sale, especially in Asda. I really enjoyed my smoked salmon and blueberries at cut-prices
11. Sainsbury’s or Boots at the train station is great for grabbing a quick, sandwich lunch. On that note, don’t be chained to the desktop/laptop, dropping crumbs of my lunch on the keyboard the way I was in 3rd year or 4th year. I realized it’s not really that efficient to work that long.
12. Do cook, even if it’s as simple as scrambled eggs or beans on toast, your body and brain will thank you for it. For the first three years where I lived on microwaved food and briyani, my brain was sluggish as hell.
Traveling:
13. You’re so close to Europe! Do try and travel when you can but do plan early to catch the cheap flights.
14. When you travel, learn as much as you can, engage with the mood and the vibe of the place – don’t be a plastic tourist. Find out what’s the lifeblood of that country, the history and culture but HAVE FUN.
15. Stay safe and hone your instincts. Don’t be so blur. Traveling isn’t as dangerous as what our parents make it out to be but be sensible. This is your chance to develop your street-smarts outside the safe boundaries of your hometown/boarding school. Make the most out of it.
16. Central Europe’s cheaper and more interesting than Western Europe.
Miscellaneous:
17. Get a Uni-rider even though you live close to the campus. It’s worth it, especially if you want to make the trip past Fallowfield to go to this Malaysian restaurant.
18. SALE ON ZARA AND FRENCH CONNECTION
19. Book train tickets early, Virgin trains is really good.
20. Make the most out of your university experience, this is a golden
opportunity. Don’t be scared to make your own mistakes and stumble, because believe me, you will come back from it even better to move forward especially when you come home with a little bit more wisdom to serve your country. Be true to yourself
Reading this made me SO nostalgic, I know a lot of it is specific to her and her family but just replace whatever you need to to make it personal to you, there's A LOT to learn from it.
I miss Manch so much! *sobs* but I happy for change and progress is my life... Plus "I'd always have Manchester".
Wanna add anything else to the list? Drop it in the comments section :)
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