Induction Week - Day One

Induction Week - Day One

Date Posted: 16/09/2016

Date Event Happened: 12/09/2016

It's inevitable. The first day at any new place is filled with awkward small talk and an explosion of questions running through your mind. 

My new friends and I, over the course of Induction Week discussed some of the questions we had in our mind, just in normal conversation, so I've compiled my favourites into a list:

1) Will I make friends?

2) Are they cooler than me?

3) How do they act about their writing?

I made the mistake of looking at my phone during the first session of the day. Around me, my future coursemates talked with one another, whilst I stayed silent, at the front of my class, looking at my phone.

It wasn't until the end of the session, I spoke to a coursemate. I admit, I forgot her name about thirty seconds after she told me it. There's no pressure to learn everyone's names on the first day!

It was only after the library tour, did I speak to another classmate. It was only only six words; "I didn't catch any of that," and I didn't even get their name. But there was no pressure to talk. It was like none of us knew what to say. 

Queues, I've found, are always the best place to engage in a conversation. Though for the most part, I stayed quiet, I did talk about getting the email up with my student number, so I would be ready to enroll in person. 

Enrollment was fairly straightforward. Tell the person doing your enrollment your Student ID, check your details, get your picture taken, collect your ID, loathe your picture for the next three years. 

I stood with a few coursemates and followed them out of the library, since I knew I needed to engage in some sort of conversation. 

I began talking with a girl called Stacey. I don't think we stopped talking for the next two hours. If we did, we didn't stop for very long. There's something therapeutic about getting lost on the way to town on the first day, catching Pokemon, having dark humour and eating McDonald's when you're trying to get to know someone. 

First day nerves had been the worst, but I didn't have anything to worry about. Even though I knew we were all in the same boat, we're all friendly people who enjoy the same subject. And that's always a great start in making friends. 

If I could repeat Monday, I would just approach people. I wouldn't categorise myself as the quiet geek on their phone, but I'd get involved. Still, at the time of writing this, I have made friends with coursemates. 

Tuesday was definitely the day I made the most friends. 

-Emma-