The essays were in. The interview was in the bag. And second semester didn’t start for another two weeks. Unusually, I had downtime on my hands! Admittedly, I had to research and prepare a dissertation proposal ready to be submitted as little as 9 days into these two weeks, and I had a number of student ambassador commitments, but I was also going to have some fun!
With the main stress of Christmas pretty much past, the uncharacteristic moment stillness (I hesitate to say tranquility) that followed also brought with it the revelation that my social network was severely depleted. With the departure of Nikki and Leila every single familiar face from my degree had now gone. And although I had found good friends in Kaja, Bish and Viki I was also concerned that these were little more than casual acquaintances, still bound to seminars. What we needed was cement! We needed to meet outside of seminar, and become friends out of choice and not just circumstance! Also, I was about to unexpectedly learn that something else we needed was a few more members…
So, networking was the word! Lets buff up the old social circle, I thought. Unfortunatly, I missed out on the first oppertunity for this, when a facebook discussion about the rhubric regarding wordcounts at our uni became a suggestion that the members of my old Gothic class should go for a drink after essay hand in- the day I was in London interviewing Dudley Sutton!
But you know what? You can’t keep a good idea down, so I introduced into the thread the suggestion that we arrange an unofficial social for a night we can all do. Whilst I was busy doing this, my fellow Gothic peer Kat suggested a picnic in the Botanical gardens. Okay, not my usual cup of tea, but I was in.
That Saturday I arrived in Sheffield early in the morning and got coffee in ‘Cream’ in Broomhill with my old friends, medic Sarah and Architect Adam (as they’ve just been christened! Ha). That was great. Maintaining established acquaintances is every bit as important as making new ones. After that it was just a quick dash down a few familiar roads (vire Cooplands so I could get something to east at the picnic) and I was arriving at the Botanic gardens on a sunny but deceptively cold January morning.
There I found Kat and Abi, both Gothic peers, and another guy named Simon who I think is a friend of another Gothic peer. Kat, who is originally from Texas, had brought me back a whole selection of belated Birthday presents from the States- something I wasn’t expected and was incredibly flattered by! Then we sat down for the picnic. Remarkable, Kat had managed to bring along everything you might expect to find at a traditional English picnic, including a woven hamper, a blanket to sit on, hot chocolate and a banana loaf. Ironically, despite being English, I’ve never before been to such an accurate representation of a traditional english picnic!
Meanwhile, the social was set to take place on the Tuesday. That Monday I worked hard on my dissertation proposal, breaking off only once to have lunch in the Cavendishwith architect Adam, Mechatronics Tom and Kaja, where I first realised how much Kaja was looking forward to the social. The social that was my idea. No pressure then.
Tuesday night came round, and we all made our way to The Old House. Abi, Kaja and I were the first to arrive, and for a short time it looked like that was going to be it. But then, just as we prepared to move on to Bungalowes and Bears Kenton and his girlfriend Jane arrived. Now, I’d almost gotten to know Kenton in first semester because he was in my Gothic class, but tragically we’d never properly met. I think this was the first time we had a conversation, and I think by the time we were arrived at Bungalows and Bears we were already getting on pretty well. And Jane seemed like a lot of fun as well.
By the time we got to Cellar 35 (where I’d been only a few weeks earlier for my Birthday- best be careful, don’t want to become a regular) I pretty much knew that this MA lark had finally fallen into place. Kenton and Jane were just the cement that this new social landscape needed, and sure enough, by the Friday of that week Kenton, Jane, Bish and I were all getting dinner in the Common Room. Finally the MA experience had a bit of kick, and I think it’s fair to say we haven’t looked back since.
(Although I should also note that although Cellar 35 was a lot of fun, it was a late night, and the open day talk I had to give the following day with Bish to about 300 prospective English students wasn’t quite as much fun. Oh well, tis the price we pay!)
