A week in my life; Ruan’s Diary

Week 1 

This week, I graced the radio waves for the very first time, I was chosen as First Year Rep for Her Campus DCU (woohoo!!!), I found twenty quid in one of my clutches and discovered a place that sells breakfast rolls for €2. See, my weeks in college have been filled with ups and downs so far, much like everyone else’s I assume. How am I getting on? To be completely honest with you, I have absolutely no idea. I don’t know if it’s normal to be a little anxious in every lecture. I don’t know what notes to take down or if I should take them down at all. I don’t know if the bus home is running today. I don’t even know the people sitting next to me most of the time. But, neither do the rest of you. Hence, I’m not completely freaking out as we speak. It was obviously going to be different to the restrictive and structured life of a secondary school girl, which isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s a GREAT thing. But, having spent the last six years in the ‘ask-to-pee’ routine, this new found independence takes a bit of getting used to. I’m going to wait patiently for college life to unfold and for everything to miraculously fall into place, just like everyone is telling me that it will. This is a learning curve right? Right.

Week 2 

Welcome back! This week was another baptism of fire. After spending Monday wrapped up in blankets and immersed in ‘The Killing’ on Netflix, I faced an early start on Tuesday, much to my dismay. Despite being at the train station at 6:40am, Tuesday unfolded without any struggles, stress or strike (Yippee!!). To top it all off, I was showered in compliments about my new coat on campus. It’s long, woolly and trendy, something Gok Wan would go bananas over if I do say so myself. The best part? It cost me €12 in the charity shop. Looking for unique, cost cutting attire for your college days? Find yourself a charity shop. It’ll be the best thing you ever do. You can ‘coat’ me on that. 

Wednesday was a little different. Again, I had a few hours to kill, so I took last week’s advice. I hit up the nearest café, whipped out my IPod, and drowned myself in a pool of ‘The Apprentice’ episodes. Let me tell you something, Katie Hopkins’s can make a few hours pass in a matter of seconds. I managed to find a couch to conk out on after that. My new coat serves well as a blanket, stylish AND multifunctional!! Nothing short of heaven. 

My heaven was to be short lived. Oh the irony. Let’s get something straight before we go any further. I am never sick, never ever ever. I missed one day of Secondary school and that was for a Confirmation. Remember the sick days you had, kipped up in bed with flat 7up, toast and TV? Well, I don’t. Sick days were nothing but a myth in my house. So, you can imagine my surprise as I was sprawled out on the college bathroom floor after what I can only describe as an exorcism. My lippy was ruined and my indestructible reputation was flushed away. College really does changed people. I did what any other self-respecting adult would do in a situation like that. I called my Mam.  

I still made my way to college on Thursday. I, ladies and gents, am a trooper. Much like Tuesday, the day didn’t have much to offer, but, my seminar presentation went well and I felt pretty good about myself afterwards. So, to celebrate both that and overcoming a near death experience the previous day, the girls and I hit the town, something I’m still only getting used to. We sat in an old man’s pub with ashtrays, flags and Van Morrison covers and caught up on how each other’s courses were going. As his good self Buff Egan would say, it was absolutely ‘tantalising’ (only funny if you know the Buff). Defeat of a 24 hour bug never tasted so good.  

After spending all day Friday with bae, it was back to earning dollars for my weekly commuting fund on Saturday. I also managed to land a second job in a bar on Saturday nights (*bows*) for my excessive purchasing of Hunky Dory’s and rashers from the college canteen.  

So, what have I learned this week?  

1.  Investing in a warm winter coat is most definitely a good idea, especially when it only costs you €12. Not only does it look good, it comes in handy when you need to catch up on shut eye. 

1.  Always have gum or mints in your bag. One never knows when a bug will hit. Be prepared.  

1.  Catch up with friends whenever you get the chance to. It’s easy to see how people drift apart in college, especially when the colleges are at opposite ends of the country. Make the effort. 

1.  Katie Hopkins’ is the queen of trash-talk. Mc Gregor, if you’re reading this, ’The Apprentice’ season 3 for tips. 

Photo by @mattylew