Everything you realise coming back to uni after four months in a soul sucking summer job

Freshers everywhere, free pizza, loud music, no space for you on the pavement, Uni has nearly started. After having five months off, your mind is still numbed by the horrible summer job you took on to pay off your rent because you spent your student loan on expensive cocktails and cigarettes, or maybe you thought that the Gym membership was more important than the roof over your head. However, praise the Lord, uni has started and your student loan has rolled in again.

The reading list is way longer than you remember it being

That dreadful moment when all of the University staff start again, not because you care about the fact that they only had six weeks of summer holiday and you’ve had six months, simply because they start to send out e-mails again. The reading list, the most painful aspect of returning back to University. The expectations get higher every year and somehow, this year, they expect students to read four books for one module. And I am not talking about a four books the size of your doctor’s ‘quit smoking’ pamphlets, I am talking about four dictionary sized books. Bear in mind that there are three modules taught every semester. I don’t know about you but I’ve decided to call this year ‘Mission: Impossible 6’.

'Don't worry about that yet'

Meeting your tutors again after nearly half a year is great. However, seeing your favourite teachers is even better. All is good and great while you catch up about what you have all been up to this summer until the elephant in the room decides to show itself. The elephant here, is a metaphor for "everything you do not have to worry about just yet". The elephant is the weight of every assessment and examination. The elephant is the overflow of information you need to "not worry about" but also need to not forget. If I don't need to worry about it yet, then why are you telling me????

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There's only one seminar tutor you want and anyone else will be a disappointment

Of course, as I mentioned above, you love to see your favourite tutor again. Unfortunately you were dealt a rather shitty hand, which means you will be getting all of your seminars taught by your least favourite tutors. Which sets off the dance of seminar swaps. Dozens of students start to eagerly e-mail the head of student schedules to desperately beg for a place in Steve’s seminar group and Nick would be okay too.

I'm in Italy, I'm not ready for this

All you need is friends

Although you might not all be having the same schedule, or no seminar together whatsoever, you will already have your friends. The one good thing about going back to Uni is seeing the faces of your friends again. The friends who understand exactly what you’re going through because they also had to work the entire summer to cough up their rent, they also looked at that first e-mail and wanted to die and be buried under the four dictionary sized books, they also failed to "not worry" and they also could not get into Nick or Steve’s seminar. You will always have your friends.

And it’s only thirteen weeks until Christmas, let that be a comfort.