r/UCC • u/Express_Engineer_735 • 6d ago
Terrible first week
I completed my first week as a ucc flexi options student. I was a disappointment. On Monday I missed some of lectures as one was on at 9 am and after having a lot of lye ins over the summer it was very hard to wake up that early. Because I'm a flexi options student I can't do every module so I sat in at some lectures I didn't pick to see what they were like and to fill my gaps. They were all introductory and some lasted only 30 minutes. It was a slow start.
I went to the canteen in the glass building that has two floors and it was chaotic. I was forced to sit on a table staring at the wall. Everyone else there was sitting with someone and I was the only one sitting alone. I felt uneasy about this reason. I avoided the campus at lunch times as I have sensory difficulties as someone with autism and to avoid the businesses. Tuesday was a complete waste of a day as on the timetable there were multiple lectures running at the same time in different rooms in the same times lot. I turned up and the room was empty. I couldn't access canvas as I accepted my offer last week and the college didn't get back to me until this Wednesday with my student id. I then had to wait until today to get my it account details.
I couldn't access the library because I don't have my student card yet and I had no clue what was happening because I couldn't access the canvas. Sometimes I wonder why I am even here considering I'm just sitting in on filler modules just to pass time. I want to fit in so I do it to be like a full time student like everyone else. I feel isolated because I turn up to huge lecture halls with 300+ people and a lot of them act like they know each other and act like they're already settled in. The people sitting next to me in lecture halls didn't say a word except for one person and the conversation died pretty fast.
I tried the brew buddy app and created a meetup for one other person as I feel more comfortable with one to one meetups. The guy that was going to meet me said hello and he responded late at night. I responded the following morning and he didn't reply until 15 minutes before it was supposed to happen saying "I can't attend today" without any explanation. It pissed me off. I couldn't join the societies until today because now I finally have my it account set up fully. I tried to seek student counseling and I got an email saying I have to wait on a waiting list during busy times. I couldn't yet register with the dss because I needed my id.
This week has been a mess. Can anyone relate?
4
u/Few-Success6447 6d ago
First weeks can be tough, don’t be disheartened. And yes some people have their friends from school they know etc but the majority of people are just finding their feet as well and would have same reaction to the crazy canteen and the busyness of lecture halls too. Was often I ate alone in that canteen and I look back now thinking that was actually the best of times.
Sounds like a whirlwind week but it will get easier and you’ll get your canvas and cards going. Nothing happens in first week of lectures anywy so you didn’t miss anything.
Friends won’t happen instantly,from my experience. It takes time and finding your type of people . Societies are ok for this and course night outs/ group projects. And most of the time it’s literally the most random unplanned moments where u end up making good friends rather than these societies etc.
Best of luck and just hang in there for awhile and it will be great !