Back to School…
Today was my first day back at college and what an experience it was! Initially as I waited in the foyer for my tutor I realised that everybody around me was at least 10 years my junior. Surrounded, I stood there writing the students off as they sported about in their new designer clothes and flashy haircuts and that was just the boys. The flirting was phenomenal and the posing unbelievable. The place was a light with gossip and thick with the fumes of aftershave, perfume and ego. Then, like a bolt from the blue, it hit me that the only thing to change was me as I too had had my day of fashion, music and posing. The students were exactly the same 16 years ago when I went to Castlereagh College, and I loved it then.

I enjoyed Tech as we called it a lot more than school. This was probably due to the fact that there were girls in my class which was a new thing to me as I went to an all boys’ school. I also enjoyed tech far more than University as to be honest the only reason I went to Uni was because I had too.

So when eventually we got down to the class room it became painfully obvious that out of the 18 students I was the only male and except for one other student was the youngest by a considerable margin. Even the teacher was female and strangely younger than me which for me was another first! As we made our introductions and the syllabus was handed out it felt way strange. For the first time in 10 years I heard the words module, essay, exam, required reading, oxford referencing system etc. I think I was shocked, I don’t know what I was expecting but this felt a lot more serious and intentional than I imagined. Yet again there was another surprise as for the first time in my academic career I feel up to the challenge, interested in the academia and not tortured/distracted by the surrounding environment. It will be interesting to see how I progress and if the natural motivation remains without having to get the big stick out.

Just to put the icing on the cake of a bizarre day last night I went to a YFC event as a supporter and not a staff member. I really enjoyed the evening but it really did underline how my life has changed in the past 6 months. Last night I was people’s friend and not their colleague, their mate and not their mentor. It felt very releasing and yet there was a significant part of me that wanted to be on the staff side of the equation. As I drove home it hit me hard that somewhere in my psyche I had made the decision that I would be a life time supporter of YFC and that I really needed to consider new ways in which I could get on board and support them!

Ps. The photo is for you Em’s I know how you find text boring!