International Freshers Week

The International Freshers Week has taken over Aston's Campus and although it cannot be compared to Freshers Week, there still are some lush parties. There have been three ultimate party places this week.


Einie's has been on every night and I have to say is unbelievably full. Yesterday it was busy with fuss and and excitement as the first Pub Quiz Night was spicing up the new freshers. The £2 Carling was the hit of the night! Yet, I have to say, the air conditioning problem was unbearable this time. It was like a Roman Spa in there.


Gosta was a unsually full on Monday. I missed the Pounded nights all summer. They were still going, there was just no one there. Now it was finally a good start for Gosta - a full house all night.


I have to say that Gate Crashers is the hit of this Uni season. I talked with freshers that have been there every night and don't want to go anywhere else. The reconstruction has been massive and every trace from 'The Works' has been swept by glamour. Gate Crashers seemed massive yesterday(and I used to go to 'The Works' regularly), the main room being the hit of the night. With three massive disco balls, an enormous light wall and eight smoke machines, Gate Crashers' main room is currently the best club in Birmingham!

... International Freshers Week is not finished, there is more to come. Tonight the first Karaoke night is set to tart the new season. I personally will be going to the grand Karaoke final in the Newt, though.

If you are not a fan of Karaoke, Kelly Rowland is set to sing in Selfridges. The party is supposed to be invites only and lots of V.I.P. guests. This is going to be the ultimate party place tonight! (well, for those who manage to get in).

The Countdown to Freshers Week #1

As promissed here is the official 'Auntie' T-shirt for next week.



(If you open the image you will see the official events for the whole Freshers Week)

The Party Animal

The last Aston character that I am going to share with you is my 'party' flatmate from last year. You will probably meet 'The Party Animal' during Freshers. He is, literally, all over the place when it comes to a party. During last year's Freshers Week he managed to popularise the pre-guild/warm-up party in our flat so much that it became a tradition for people from Dalton to visit us every night. Once he got us a V.I.P. in Oceana with free drinks all night. And, well, even after four months he still called me when he came back to Birmingham to hang out. He is truly unstoppable. But how would you recognise the party animal.

First, and most importantly, 'The Party Animal' always has to be trendy. Then he must never feel cold or heat. No matter what the temperature, 'The Party Animal' has to have an outfit prepared and suffer the consequences. Last but not least, he should be able to sacrifice a night's sleep or exams' preparations for the party's sake.

Yet, I have to say that 'The Party Animal' surprised me very positively in the end of the year and got quite good marks, not mention passed all his modules. I have big hope for him... Here's THE PARTY ANIMAL'S TIP FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: DON'T MISS THE SESH AT MY FLAT BEFORE THE GUILD!

Now before I sum up, I have to say that the characters I described are only four of the seven people I lived with last year. The rest three are individualistic and I don't want to put a name tag on. And last, there may be a hint of 'The Hard Worker' or 'The Hippies', or 'The Party Animal' in any of us. Aston's campus is so colourful and interesting that you will find your own characters and you own friends. Hopefully, you will be lucky enough to live with them for a year, like I did. Now that I look on the year that has passed I feel no regrets, I was blessed to have such fun times.

Here's a little heads up on what is to come here till the end of next week. You will get and exclusive sneak peak at what is to come at Freshers and hopefully a Rota of the different events. International Freshers Week started yesterday and I will give a post with the events to come in the week. The first hint is:

The Hippies

After a comparatively short break and a lot of sunbathing I am back in Birmingham. I feel just like last year - cold and filled with anticipation. Kara is going to be an 'Auntie' this year and we will have a very good insight on all the events from this year's Freshers Week. The International Freshers Week takes off next weekend to warm up the campus and prepare us all for the big 'F'. (For everyone who are not familiar with the term 'Auntie', an 'Auntie' is the person male/female who is supposed to welcome, help and integrate the freshers in the Aston atmosphere.)

If I remember correctly, though, I still have several untold stories. I already started describing several types if typical students or at least what I think is typical. After 'The Hard Worker' which is a very common type comes another huge group 'The Hippies'.

'The Hippies' male or female have the same characteristics. First, they are always a part of the bigger 'Hippie Society' in the university. They would know all the other hippies and meet socially with them at least four times a week. Yet, they always seem to 'not care' if the group has a fallout or a big trouble. When a problem comes, 'The Hippies' will not hesitate to save themselves first. Still, 'The Hippies' are in some rare occasions ready to help someone from the group to improve their 'Hippie' status or just to feel better about themselves. In the end of the day, though, 'The Hippies' are supper nice to all the 'Non-hippie Masses' on campus and if you don't provoke them can be extremely friendly.

In their studies 'The Hippies' grow up to their name. They are not going to miss the sesh in flat 11 next week for some accounting test, or not got to Oceana on Monday because some boring professor decided to give them an essay to write. Of course that results is lower grades. Although quite bright, the hippies are always struggling with tests and grades. They have the most fun, though... Even 'The Party Animal' would go out less than 'The Hippies'... They just do not care and cannot be bothered.

'The Hippies' are in university to have the experience, not to get the best grades. And they may actually turn up to be right in the end, I still cannot say. Now that I look back on the months I have spent living with 'The Hippies' I actually miss them. We had so many fights because of the different way we lived our lives that sometimes we didn't speak to each other for weeks. Yet, when I look back on the whole experience I had with 'MY Hippies' I miss them and their nonchalant character. When you are in a bad place no one can cheer you up as good as 'An Aston Hippie'.

The Hippies would probably miss to give an advice to the prospective students but they may invite you to a party...!?

The Hard Worker

You can already feel the anticipation in Birmingham. The city is waiting for the new Uni year to start. In less than a month freshers will start flooding the Universities. Last year at this time I was making the final preparation for my leaving Bulgaria. I still cannot believe how much my life has changed since then. One of the people that changed it is 'The Hard Worker'.

'The Hard Worker' is how I will be calling one of my ex-flatmates from Dalton. He was doing a masters in Pharmacy and was swamped with work all the time. Unlike most of my friends who are just above average like me he was the best in his course. On his exams he would do unbelievably good. A 90% for 'The Hard Worker' was not that good. He always wanted to get higher. This ambition put him on the pinnacle of his course, reigning over the other pharmacy students.

Yet, 'The Hard Worker' was not what you would expect. All puffed up from going to the Aston fitness centre every day he was beyond shape. And most unexpectedly he turned out to be a party animal, that is, when he actually went out. See, the difference between me an average and him an elaborate student is that he does not go with the flow. If the whole Uni is going to Oceana tomorrow, and there is a test the next day, 'The Hard Worker' wouldn't because unlike me he had discovered something very important.

'The Hard Worker' has given me many advices during my first year. Yet, the most useful was: THE HARD WORKER'S ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: You will spend only a couple of years in university, and those years will affect your whole life. Think about what and when you are doing. There will be time for partying after university, but there is no way you can travel back in time and change your Diploma!

Just Fab...

There are very few wise people that I know and that is probably just my luck. For starters, my parents are not really wise yet, I mean, they are still living their mistakes and making even more. They will become wise one day, hopefully. For now their mistakes just make them more fun. So I cannot really talk wisely ever, yet sometimes I just see the light in the end of the tunnel, if you know what I mean.

I just got off chatting with one of the very few fab (and probably one of the wisest) people I know and she is fab, believe me, successful, renowned, fabulous. She walks into the room and every eye is on her, opens her mouth and instantly gets the attention.... I have already told you a lot about Fannie and it is not only because she is, well, quite important to me; there is more and I bet you did not expect it... (I actually had something in mind)

Fannie has lived and studied in the UK and has quite a lot of tips for any prospective student, like you guys. Today she taught me a lesson, a lesson she had learned when she was doing what I am doing right now, and what you will be doing soon - do not get absorbed by the whole English nightlife culture... what do I mean? Let me tell you a story...

I am currently spending my fist ever fully independent summer. I live alone, get my own money... do whatever I want to. After my traditional recap yesterday I realised that I am actually not doing that good. My routine is simple: I work every evening, finish at 12, have a pint after work, go home, have a pint with a flatmate in front of the TV and go to bed; next morning I wake up, have a shower, breakfast, lunch, a pint with the lunch, go to work again... Did you notice how many times the word pint was in that long sentence. Remember, this is one day. I bet my colleagues would not notice the problem, they have lived like this their whole lives but for me this is new... And England is not about the drinking seshes or the night and the partying till dawn... it is about everything else... history, culture, politics... Read a contemporary English book and you will probably not see the word pint in it, or booze, or bear, or alcohol... at least not that as much as in this post. Have a walk on the street, try to notice the unique architecture. Go to the park, see the year-long greenness (it rains this much in very few countries). Go to a bookshop get an interesting book and see something you missed while having a walk. Turn on the TV absorb the media culture. Buy the Sunday Times and absorb even more media culture. See why is it that the United Kingdom is so different from every other European country.

So, to make a point: if you are a current student get a grip on your self, if you are prospective student, do not let go that grip, ever! Have fun and try to remember the years of Uni, I mean the more you drink, the more precious once of a lifetime moments you are going to miss...

In the weeks to follow I am going to make you several descriptions of typical Aston students and I bet after I am finished you will all want to come here, it is just diverse, interesting, surprising and always fun!

The 10th Tip

Unlike recently, the weather today in Birmingham is dreadful, gloomy and wet, it feel like it is Autumn already. Still, the phenomenal book I am reading is keeping me positive - ''Number Ten'' by Sue Townsend.

What I have missed to share with you was my moving to my new house. Now I live in House 30 in Aston Brook Green. It is definitely the second most popular accommodation after the campus towers and Lake Side. The whole moving, cleaning and painting process too us a week. Me and Gosia started on Saturday 14th June and Karolina joined us on Sunday 15th June. By next Saturday me and Kara could not walk. We had been cleaning every bloody day and don't forget work. We were both either at the pub or at the house. Thinking about it now it sounds ages ago, though.

I haven't given you any tips lately and since I have finally reached my tenth one (I feel so wise ha-ha-ha) it is special so this post is going to me my TIP 10 FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS! It is all going to be about where to shop, how to find the cheap deals an' stuff. And this is very important for an average student, innit.

The food is easy to buy; you have Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Aldi, The Rad Market, The 99p Shop, Poundland, there's just plenty. But what if you need paint or a chair, or a set of nice pillows, or a desk, or a bed. Here is the Top 5 of the shops I used to arrange my current room (the first being the most shopped from and the last being the one I have used the less)

1) Latiff's - It is a huge warehouse behind Moor Station. A little doggy from the outside, Latiff's is perfect for a new home owner.
2) Matalan - The moment I discovered Matalan I fell in love with it. So near Uni and so many stuff. Matalan is a little bit more expensive but has really nice stuff.
3) The Clearance Shop in front of the Carling Academy - this is the place where you can find the cheapest stuff ever, but you have to be very careful, some of them are broken or stained.
4) Primark - the good old Primark's home stuff are quite cheap and quite near the Uni. Yes, you cannot buy a bed there but you can get sheets and stuff.
5) All the 1£ something shops - you can find so many stuff in all the quid shops in Birmingham; one of my mirrors is actually from 'Everything for 1 or 2£'

So dear prospective students, I am not doing an advertisement for shops in Birmingham, I am giving you a free advice. I had to spend a year gathering all this information. Now you are so much better prepared than me, when I came to Uni.


Furniture and house stuff: I have made a Top 3 of the places I have use to buy all my stuff and I am going t

Exam Results Time

I am finally back in the UK after a two week 'holiday' in Bulgaria. Not much is happening in Burmingham. The only change in the scene at Uni is the 'EXAM RESULTS POST' on Aston Map - our student account @ the Uni webpage! Now every prospective student should now that the wait for results here is EPIC! We all have been waiting for almost two months and now only the general decision is posted.

I heard about the EXAM RESULTS POST yesterday and immediately took Karolina's laptop to check what my faith was. As I typed the Aston Map homepage I felt that this was going to be the longest ten seconds of my life...

...and it still has not finished generating
(Kara is already screaming)
- 'What happened?'
- 'I am still waiting for the f*** Aston Map to generate!'

...and just there the magic happened - the page generated, I could already feel the results were in there. *Have you noticed that when you receive a very important letter it always takes ages to open it because you are too nervous. Well, it took me ages to find where the General Decision link was...

- and there it was the long craved - 'YOU PASSED'

Now I am waiting for the actual results but at least I know I have successfully graduated my first year in Aston. I can still call myself an Aston Student. So, to all prospective students: I am still going to be here to say 'Hi' next year :D

The Guild /continued/

Around a year and a half ago I had to make one of the toughest choices of my life - chose a university to study in. I have always known that this is a very important decision, not because of the diploma, but because the university has an amasing impact on a person's life perseption and philosophies. Furthermore, every university is like a small society and the students have an invisible bond that is there for years after graduation. In other words, I had to make a very important and difficult decision. I have seen that every university says that it is the best in the world, well, not every but that is the policy of most. What I liked about Aston was the directness and honesty of the university's description. For example, when reading the website I could hear 'we may not be number one in ranking but we will give you perfect training and preparation for the business world', or 'we are the best at this special part of teaching'... details that I found important. See, I alredy new that y results could not get me in Harvard or Cambridge and I wanted a university that would do the best out of the material that was me one year ago. I dunno if that is what every student felt, that was what I felt. I saw a kind of security in tha direct way of showing the university's strengths.

Anyway, it was only after I actually set foot on the Aston University Campus that I saw a unique feature that is, for me, Aston's Ace in the set of cards - The Guild. It is not the exstence of the Guild that is amazing or unique; every university has a student union; it was the impact the Guild has on our, student's, lifes. I have talked with a lot of people from universities around the world, students from some of the best universities in Europe, or in America, like Yale and Princeton and no one has ever felt such a strong student union in their university. Yes, a union that makes parties or events, but not a union like ours.

I already mentioned in Part I of my post that the Guild had a big impact on me in the beginning of the first term and that it is the place for us to escape from boredom and studying but that is not all. The uniqunes of the Guild is hidden in the diversity of activities.

It houses the different student clubs and societies; it houses soial events like charities and parties, houses a restaurant, a pub, a bank, an accommodation supplier, a supermarket. You can find everything there, whatever you need. I have already used the job-shop in the Guild and the student counseling services (I needed advice about paying my tuition in installments). And that is just half of all the places there.

Not an amazingly active student, I have not even made an effort to discover all of the 'secrets' that the Guild hides or the 'wishes' that it can grants. There is still more to see. Probably that is why this will be the first post I will leave open, to finish next year. I will wait to see the new changes and updates that are happening or have happened in th padt sic months. Hopefully next year I will have more to say about the guild; hopefully, there are going to be more and sooner changes on the Guild to spice up the upcoming year.

The Guild

Right now I am writing from Bugaria. I came here for two weeks on Sturday and, as usual, now I have to help my father with his boring office work. I've discoverred that here I miss my UK freedom so much. It is the fact that you do everything on your watch - wake up, go to sleep, go out, eat, drink, shower whenever you wish. If I want to eat at four in the morning I just go to my kitchen, while here I have to constantly try to be as quiet as possible not to wake someone up. And the worse is that everyone sleep at different time. My mother goes to sleep at ten, my father always takes a nap after work so around six, and my sister goes to bed late and sleeps till late morning. This leave me one hour of loudness after 'work'(here I finish at five).

Anyway, yesterday while I was watching a boring movie at home I discoverred there is something I have grown used to during term-time that I desperately need and want not - The Aston Student's Guild. It is the place where you go whenever yu don't have plans but want to party or like me, hate staying home alone.

For those who have never heard of the Aston Student's Guild let me make a quick description. Unlike other student unions the Aston Guild has always been really influentian inside the Uni and, now I can finally say WE, the students have always been really proud of it. The Guild is the ultimate place to search for help when you needed it; the ultimate place to party when you want to; the ultimate place to hang out when you don't want to be in your small room or leave campus.

I still remember the first time I saw the Guild's building. It is nothing impresive, nothing massive or shiny, nothing incredibly posh or sophisticated, but it had a 'hommie' atmosphere around it. A spirit that made me feel safe there. I dunno if it is just me but I loved to hand out there. Especially in my first several weeks I used to have breakfast , lunch , party .... LIVE there.

I will continue my story about the Guild later, unlike all the other places on campus the Guild has been closest to me this year... and it deserves a bigger story.

The Lake

I already mentioned I have moved out of Dalton and into Aston Brook Green. What I have missed was the whole moving process. When I left my room for the last time I finally understood I a going to miss living on campus so much. I have been longing for living in a house outside campus since January and now that I finally do I miss the whole student atmosphere on campus. One of the most influential places for me has always been the Lake.

For me the Lake is not just an artificial pond of water but an Oasis in the desert of constant studying, exams and work, a place to relax after work or read in the sun for your exams, a place to have a pint or a barbeque dinner with your mates. Yes, in the summer the Lake is the heart of social activities on campus. Everyone goes there and everything happens right there.

But for me the Lake is not only a place to drink and eat, when I move to Uni in September last year I used to sit and stare at the lake on my evening walks. Well, it did not make me feel more at home but it did make me relax and forget about all the cr**.

There are so many more stuff that I will miss but there are four that have made the biggest impact on me: The Main Building, The Lake, The Library and DALTON!

The Library

The Library had become my home during the exam session and now that I finally moved out I am starting to miss it. I mean I don't miss the studying or anything, but the atmosphere itself. Basically, during exam sesh the library was always buzzing with people and never died out. Some people will finish studying in 4 in the morning, other will just start.

The funniest thing, though, is how no one is actually studying. Most of the people are on Facebook. Facebook, the plague that has spread over world youth. Even the people that are not on Facbook while studying will have it minimised on their Taskbar. Well, don't get me wrong some people are never on Facebook in the library, they're on Youtube.

Anyway, in the end of the day, most of us students spend loads of time studying in the library and I have to say were it not for the library I would have failed the exams.

The Main Building

Today I have been making final arrangements for the house I am moving in on Saturday. All the packing and electricity and gas arranging made me think, think about living on campus. So, I decided to make a series of posts about all the stuff I am going to miss.

When I was giving my application for the accommodation I new I wanted to live in the expensive Lake Side flats. Yet, I got the cheap high-rise. I am going to be absolutely honest with you, at first I thought that I am going to live in a s*** hole. After I arrived to Dalton I started seeing things from a different prospective. Now I see my Flat as the most convenient location to live. The best thing about me living in the Dalton Tower is that it is right in front of the Main Building. I can basically go there in my slippers (and some people actually do).

The main building has been my refuge in so many situations. If there is a fire alarm in the middle of the night because someone decided to bake sausages at 4 in the morning and started a small fire, I can just run in my slippers to the main building and find a convenient location to wait the alarm out. If it was the middle of the night and I needed Internet fast (KeySurf not working of course), I could just run to the main building sit in the lounge on ground floor and use the free wireless. If I wanted to go out for Coffee with my mates and we were feeling lazy, the main building's different cafeterias were my location of choice.

I can still vividly recall one midnight adventure. I was back from work. It was around 1 and I had already stopped my contract with KeySurf. I had just remembered that this was the same day as the deadline for paying tuition and I had been too late. So I just took my laptop and credit card and ran to the main building to access the net and pay online. I was running like some phsyco. I hope security don't remember me :)

I remember having my little snacks in Lafe Lago. There I fell in love with the Costa Late and brownies. The thing that always sucked about Cafe Lago, though, was that the good food was always taken for seconds and I always got the 'leftovers'. TIP 8 for prospective students: Do not eat at Cafe Lago after the rush hours, go there before that!

I do not know why, but I have always loved having little walks in the Main Building when I can't sleep, just looking around. That is when you actually see the small details and even hear the walls talk. Oh, the Main Building is amazing in the night. TIP 9 for prospective students: If you get the chance just have a walk in the Main Building during the night, you will be amazed at the people you are going to see and the atmosphere itself.

Now that I think about it all these thing may seem absolutely small and insignificant to everyone else but for me they meant the world at the time.

The Fannie Story /continued/

I am sitting in our Dalton Tower Common Room. Probably this time may be my last. I am moving to my new house on Saturday. My short trip to Bulgaria made me forget some part of my daily routines here, like the annoying Nigerian girl that constantly plays music on her laptop in the common room. I mean, I like R&B but it is kind of hard to concentrate when she is rapping next to me. And, seriously, she needs to download some new music. Anyway, I will try to concentrate and continue with my story because I am going to Gosta to see the Poland Sweden game.

When I decided I wanted introduce some people that have made and huge impact on me in the last year for the blog readers I was anxious I may make it boring. Yet I'll try, feel free to stop me :D

One of the funniest thing Fannie has ever told me was her descriptions of the school board meeting. That is the meeting of all the teachers in my high school. I happened usually once a month/at least I think so/. I found it interesting because we students never know what is happening with our teachers outside the classroom and how they communicate between themselves. So, I am going to tell you one of Fannie's school meeting stories.

She has always found bureaucracy very boring and as she says, she hardly stayed awake during the school meetings. She would tell my math teacher to wake her up if something important was going on. Basically every teacher was complaining about his/her own problems with students and teaching and the meetings were like a buzzing orchestra of complaints. Every now and then the principle would desperately demand silence in her high-pitched voice. To conclude, evidently teachers are just normal, air-breathing humans.


No that I think about it /although it is hard to think when listening to 'turn me on, turn me on girl...' from the annoying girl's computer/ the best feature of Fannie's character was her absolute nonchalance. I don't know how she makes it, but she never seems too worried, and I know she has tons of stuff going on and tons of problems. I had always been most jealous of that part of her character. She can, probably, pool a smile off in a worst moment.

I am trying to think of all the thing I want to tell about Fannie right now but nothings seems enough /and the annoying girl is trying to get on my last nerve/. You will be hearing a lot more about her, anyway.

Now, I have to go meet Ania and Cara and go to Gosta. Oh, god bless all the people still standing my shitty character. Here at Uni I had found out that I have to be a little bit tolerant towards other people because one needs time to be able to make an accurate approximation of their character and qualities. I have made too many bad first impressions and thought bad of amazing people. So here is TIP 7 for prospective students: Do not make rash judgement of people!

The Fannie Story

Recently I felt as if I did not have the inspiration to write. That is why I haven't had a post in more than a week. I sign into blogspot and I cannot write a single word. Maybe that was influenced by the alcoholic/euphoric/melancholic dream I had fallen into. As much as I have been having fun in the past week, I felt absolutely empty, desperately needing some inspiration to think. I finally found it back home, in Sofia.

My friends here are very, very different from my friends in Birmingham, interested in different stuff, having different problems, leaving different lives. Anyway, they have inspired me and now I can continue writing...

As I was walking along the dark alley around midnight yesterday I was finally feeling calm. I was on my way back from Fannie's, quite tipsy, with an amazing headache and a frightened expression on my face. I had forgotten how dark some streets in Sofia were. In this state I was recapping the event from the evening. I have always loved going to Fannie's... but wait you don't know anything about her yet.

Fannie was my closest teacher, and by closest I mean that I could actually share with her. After I graduated last year we have kept in touch and every visit in Bulgaria goes hand in hand with a visit to her house. Fannie lives in a huuuuge house. The best thing about it is the attic where her cabinet is. It is a small room with low ceiling, wooden floor, walls and ceiling. Half of the room is a gigantic book shelf with old books of her father's. Two wooden desks sit in the middle of the room and a bunch of other smaller furniture is spread around the centered tables.

Fannie was considered by most of my friends magical for her amazing orator abilities. She is capable of transferring you into the action of a story and I remember how in school we used to gaze enchanted once she opened her mouth and started narating. Anyway, now Fannie has become one of my closest people and getting drunk in the attic is a tradition now.

The best thing about my little visits is that they always go in the same exact way. Sometimes I think that even our conversations are the same. I usually take a bunch of old classmates with and we chat for hours. We always start with fresh gossip about absent people, then some stuff about the current situation in the old school, each informs us of any changes in plans and life, and then we start discussing world hunger/politics topics and start arguing. The best thing is that the political topics that we discuss are so controversial that we know we would never find a solution, yet we do it every time.

I am going to continue 'The Fannie Story' tomorrow since this post is getting a little too bulky. Of course I have to give - TIP No 6 for prospective students: Life abroad can get hard so find an inspiration, a person that can calm you down when you are stressed and help you look ahead!

Recap Time

I am in my room and last two days I have reading a book that has been far too sad and cheerful, depressing and hilarious for me – The Rabbi’s Daughter by Reva Mann. See, before I came to the UK I had never experienced different cultures closely. The short trips abroad and the awkward meeting with strangers have never given me even a hint of the people different from me. That is probably why I was so stricken by the diversity of London and Birmingham when I came. Now, that I am more aware of the differences between me and my friends I want to know more about the different cultures. Probably the confessions of a Jewish woman will make me see the world as she saw it. Yet, my Jewish flat mate seems reluctant discuss the experiences he has had in Israel with me. Or, probably, I seem more stupidity and ridicule in my questions. I hope I have not been, as now I try to respect the different cultures more.

Tonight I feel like thinking about the distance between me and my parents. I feel like the thing I have dreaded the most has happened and now I am a distant part of their daily routine, a phone call in the evening and nothing more. As much as 'they keep loving me', I feel abandoned. The visits to Bulgaria every two months just remind me of the life I have left behind. The stories of my Bulgarian friends just make me feel jealous for they have different routines, problems and joys.

Every phone call with my father starts with a short silence and is always distant. As much as we have never had any emotional connection I have always, well, hoped that he would open up and accept me as a equal human being one day, capable of decisions, thoughts, emotions… My mother on the other hand has always being my friend, as much as people think of it impossible. And, now deven though I speak to her for hours on the phone, the awkward moment of silence always comes. If it does not, then she becomes distracted with something in the house and is not paying any attention to our conversation. Believe me the worst thing is to hear your mother talking to your little sister about something while you are trying to have your personal half an hour conversation with her, the distance between you being thousands of miles.

Yet I cannot, like my friends here, call my parents once a week and just explain briefly my current situation like a soldier to his commander. And explain is the exact terming, for they do not ask for a permission or advice. As much as I am independent now, I like to think that there is someone there judging me. Maybe it is this lack of judgement in the awkward silence that threatens me and makes me feel grown up and alone.

Anyway, in, as short as, an hour I will be at a Lakeside Party and these troubles will be just a flashing memory behind me. TIP 5 for prospective students: try to avoid the short moments of self pity and loneliness, for there would always be something happening at Uni and do not waste your time being sorry for yourself! Go with the flow!

The First Classes

Today is one of the windiest days in Birmingham since September. My prayers for sun and heat are evidently unanswered. So, I can go back to my memories from the beginning of term.

I was late for my very first, introduction, lecture (a big party the previous day). Me and my flatmates ran to the lecture, arrived almost last, and had to sit on the floor. Helen Higson gave probably the most memorable speech, at least I thought so but I was, generally, too busy looking a the crowd of future students to listen carefully. The Great Hall was overflowing with people. A see of heads all looking as overwhelmed as me.

The day was long and full of enrollment duties. Of course, I messed it all up, got lost, and ended up not enrolling. I thought 'that was it'. I was running around the Main Building like a psycho searching for help and it seemed deserted (of course it wasn't , I was too panicked to notice the people around me).

TIP 3 for prospective students: Every problem is fixable and the Aston staff are quite helpful, so do not panic! I should say that the Undergraduate Office is the most useful place to ask for help.

I had the opportunity to meet Helen myself in the Undergraduate Office and I was just amazed how one of the most important people at uni was dealing with my childish problem. So, everything got fixed and I enrolled.

The first lectures started in the beginning of next week and the roller coaster starter going. Nothing has changed in the lectures and tutorials till now. They are still hard and still we are all struggling. Why? Because students always leave everything till the last minute. TIP 4 for prospective students: Try not to repeat our mistakes, do not leave everything till the last minute!

The 9th Step

When I decided to start the blog I thought of all the different stories I want to tell and all the different people I want to introduce to the world. The odds are, when you move to a different place, you meet tons of new people. And, yes, it is just a few that will become a part of your life.

Opposite to your expectation I want to tell the story of a person that, well, is not a new acquaintance - Jane. You probably have met those annoying couples that are just perfect together. Well, I was a part of one of those couples.

It all started as a fling in May 2006. Being as self-obsessed as I am, I never believed I could fall in love, and I was absolutely OK with that. Anyway, nothing ever goes as planned, does it? So by next May I was crazy in love.

There is only one problem that I had not considered: 'School Ends!' In September Jane got on the plane and left for Milan and I, well, came here. We started talking as often as possible BUT we did not see each other for three months. In the beginning of December I went to Milan to visit. By Christmas holiday I was alone.

That is exactly how fast it goes. You don't have time to think about it, one day you are secure and on the next you are all alone (and yes it is security that is the most important - knowing that whatever happens you have someone). So how would you cope with it? I, actually, did delete her from my life. The phone numbers, the pictures, the everything. Not a single sign of Jane in my life.

Exactly 5 months have passed since then and it may not seem long, but 5 months are a f*** long time. So I had time to think things over, and slowly I heal. I had not had a normal conversation with Jane till this morning and well as much as it is weird, I also, finally, feel good.

TIP 3 for prospective students: Before you leave you home always think things through! I already saw several long relationships die because of the distance. Just leave as friends and on good terms, and avoid the pain! Start a new life as you leave!

What happened while me dealing with the end of my relationship, though, was a series of unforgettable days and nights...

The Beginning

I had a little fight with my flatmates yesterday. We sorted it all out, but it got me thinking... Several months ago life was peaceful, calm and, most importantly, FUN. How did it change? When you live with someone you get to know him so well that even smallest things are noticeable, like the annoying habbit of leaving a wet plate on a shelf, or a handbag on a kitchen table.

In the end though, when you, like me, realise that in two short weeks it will be all over, you will remember, mostly, the amazing times you had together. And when did it all start? Fresher's!


Once I came into my flat, on 22 Septmber 2007, I entered in the world of 'no worries'. See, I had never lived away from my parents for more than a month before and my heaven had just opened its doors to me. What happened with us during freshers was an unending party and every day had the same routine.

Wake up at noon, have a huge breakfast and fight hangover with your last remaining strength. By three you are already drinking again and having your lunch. Then go out, buy more boose and come back home. Have a little nap, get dressed and the guests are already arriving at seven, so dinner has to go fast. That was always a problem with us - dinner.

Evidently, we were all ready to cook and show off our skills in little 'competitions'. Every night someone cooked for the flat and although no one very said anything, we all knew what was going on. Some of my flatmates still won't admit that it was a competition. But our little feasts were amazing and I have to say the peak was this Roast we had and ,God bless Graham, I can still taste the gravy in my mouth.

Surely, there were a lot of activities aranged for us freshers but after the long nights all we wanted to do is sleep.

And so Fresher's Week ended in a glimps of an eye just like a summer holiday. Just as you got used to it all, you have to go back to reality. The only difference with me was that I was not going back to reality, I was entering a whole new world.

This is my first post and, although I want to, probably I won't make it as special as I want it to be. So, ... no need of any awkward introduction. All you need to know is that my name is Vladimir, I am 19 years old, studying Economics and Management at Aston University and it is now the end of my first year. The first thing I want to share with you is my journey to the UK.

Anyone who has ever travelled on their own can probably understand me and it is most important that you avoid my mistakes!

It all started at the airport. It was 5 in the morning and I had just said Goodbye to my parents. I was sitting with my friends waiting for the 'all passengers for London, ...' What would a normal person do, hug, kiss, shed a tear... me, I was crying my eyes out and looking at it now, it must have been amazingly entertaining for the surrounding population. This continued at the security check, the pasport check, the boaring and the plane. Probably most of the people thought I had just found out I was dying tomorrow. At some point I said to myself, just deal with it, and that is when London came.

The huge wave of wondering population hit me like a metal bat. Of course, I managed to get lost in the Airport, on my way to the Train and then in the massive Victoria Station. So, after getting ripped off (I bought a £70 open, first class ticket, by accident of course) I was sitting on my little round table in my comfortable first class seat, enjoying the free treats I was offered.

By the time I reached Birmingham I would have been calmer, had I not discovered free coffee. And here is TIP No 1 For future students: When you go out of the Train Station and ask a policewoman where Aston University is and she says 'I have never heard of it', do not panic.

TIP No2: Do not get in a black cab, it will rip you wallet off and then ask for your credit card After I got ripped off by a very rude taxi driver I had almost reached my final destination - 'Dalton Tower' Well, there was no such, I found only an 'ALTON' Tower (later I was informed that the 'D' is missing from the sign)

'The Bee Hive' as I shall now call it was a small utopia of unending activities. People going an and off the lift, people getting to know each other and having an annoying chatt in the middle of the hall, getting the keys for their rooms, carrying huge boxes of pans and dishes and of course the gigantic suitcases. I was walking through the corridor slowly in a perplexed and childlike manner (probably pissing everyone else off, who actually knew what they were doing) Everything else happened in a split of a second, I got my key, had a fast chat about London with the staff, got into the lift, and before you know it met my flatmates. But more on them later, because what was about to happen is the most beloved moment of university for all students - Fresher's Week!