What Not To Do At University, Volume 1

Well after spending a grand total of four weeks at a University, by now I think I have a general idea of how things run around here. And of course that didn't arise until I commited a series of social faux pas that, to be honest, were as awkward as any other you'd experience. So lets get on to awkward parts of University life, shall we?

Before we begin, I would further like to mention that all these did happen to me, in some form or another.

Rule 1 - Don't accidentally miss a lecture because you thought it was a tutorial.
Oh, how embarrassing this was when I figured this out. This happened on the very first day of lectures, as a matter of fact. On Monday, my very first lecture was Physics, and just like the other subjects the lecturer went on about what the course would contain, and all that jazz. Before lectures had started I had actually become paranoid about missing lectures and had programmed all my weekly slots into my PDA. Although when the lecturer mentioned that the tutorial that would have been taking place that afternoon would instead be replaced with another lecture, since reviewing the course outline would be impractical. I took this information in, but it obviuosly didn't reach my PDA because that afternoon I deleted that days' tutorial slot! I didn't find out about this until David told me 'casually' while waiting in line for dinner.

Rule 2 - If a girl recognises you from college, don't have amnesia.
Oh boy, as if this was stoppable. Due to my bad memory for faces and names, obviously whenever someone that I haven't seen in a while says hi, it's hard for me not to ask who they are.
This one was probably on a short fuse, since it kinda went downhill from there. Hey, it wasn't my fault that my Year 13 form class was unapproachable. Come to think of it, did she say she was from my form class or the form council? See, there's that memory again.

Rule 3 - Do not forget your keys!
Subheader: You never know when you'll need them. After a few weeks of settling in, I've tended to sometimes keep my door unlocked if I'm just going out for a minute, like checking the noticeboard, or transfering my washing to the dryer. I thought the same was acheiveable if I wanted to put my take-out box in the outdoor recycle bins, but I had glazed over the fact that you need a special swipe attached to the keys to get back inside. So I had to wait 10 or so minutes until someone came out so I could get back in.

Rule 3a - Or your Student ID!
Not so much as a problem, but a hinderance. Like for instance I need my card so I can dinner. Usually when I get my meal I don't have enough time to stuff it back in my wallet since the line moves quickly, but there was one night when I forgot to but it back in my wallet from my trouser pocket. Luckily it wasn't too much trouble, I just quoted my ID number (which I know off by heart just like my NSN, which is now practically useless) and showed my learner's license. Done.

Rule 4 - Remember your washing.
Since there's only 2 washing mashines for about 70 of us, there are some times when people are so desperate to use the mashine they take the previous perosn's washing (which is finished), and shove on the shelf above. This generally happens to me, since I'm usually on my laptop watching stuff on YouTube well past the time the machine finsihed, and I'm left with the feeling that someone's just looked through my washing. This doubles for dryers, too.

Rule 5 - Don't guess, you'll be wrong.
This applies to multiple situations, all of which apply to me showing people (a.k.a. family) around campus, and supposedly telling them you're going to show them some place (like a lecture theatre or a lab of some kind) and you can't get in the door because you didn't realise your swipe wouldn't let you in. Or saying that you get free newspaper and you're about to get one but you can't because you can't get the weekend one but you didn't know that. But it's not like I'm going to plan everything ahead of time! Sure, I could go around campus writing a list of things I can and can't do when people come around, not. It feels like being a tour guide in a country you haven't heard of before. Ad libbing does not work here. Or in retail.

So that's a few things I've had to trudge through in the last 4 weeks, and I'll most definitely add more volumes as the matter arises. Now on to current events.

Yesterday I had the family come around and we went out for dinner. There'll be another Day 14 Pub. Comic in the making spawning from that, and while I'm at it I'll se if I can enlarge that previous one. Could be the start of a Wednesday thing.

Today I went cycling in the morning now that I have my bike, and 10km does your legs good. Unless that jelly-like feeling isn't good, but anyway at least I'm getting a lot more exercise than previously. Plus also we had the crazy sports day today, in a nutshell we won the awards for best chant and best mascot, which was really the high-spirited Holly in a $2 Shop wig dancing like she probably would if she was picking up guys at a club. The judges were probably male. Enough said.

*ahem* But there was enough competitiveness this afternoon between halls to sink a ship made of feathers supported by several helium balloons. And we all had a good time, I think. Some definitely more than others. But as far as I know there isn't anyone in our halls with reverse sunburns of handprints yet, but they may not develop until later tomorrow morning. This has been me with Sunburn Watch.

Um... speaking of which we took part in the Cancer Society Relay 4 Life yesterday, even if it was only for a few minutes. But still it's nice to be supporting a good cause. My family escpecially will understand why it's a good cause.

But that's enough loaf for tonight. Stay reading for this week's video pick! Plus, coming soon... it's coming up to 50 posts now, what's changed? Probably not much in my mindset, but stick around for... something. Don't quite know what...

The Weekend Watch
Ha! This one's been in the mainstream for a while. Here's an aussie take on the kiwi accent.