Text Monday 5 There's a coffee morning for first-yearstudents.I meet my tutor,a lofty man with sloping shoulders,who looks determined to be affable. 6"Have you come far?"He peers down at me.As he speaks,his head jerks wildly from side to side,which makes his coffee spill into the saucer. 7"I live not far from Edinburgh,about six hours away,"I explain. 8"Splendid!"he says,and moves on to the freshman standing beside me."Have you come far?"he asks,"splendid,"he barks,withoutwaiting for the answer,and moves on.He takes a sip of coffee,and looks thunderstruckto discover the cup is empty. 9 My mother calls.She enquires if I've met my tutor yet. Translation
Monday 5 There’s a coffee morning for first-year students. I meet my tutor, a lofty man with sloping shoulders, who looks determined to be affable. 6“Have you come far?” He peers down at me. As he speaks, his head jerks wildly from side to side, which makes his coffee spill into the saucer. 7 “I live not far from Edinburgh, about six hours away,” I explain. 8 “Splendid!” he says, and moves on to the freshman standing beside me. “Have you come far?” he asks, “splendid,” he barks, without waiting for the answer, and moves on. He takes a sip of coffee, and looks thunderstruck to discover the cup is empty. 9My mother calls. She enquires if I’ve met my tutor yet. Text
Text Tuesday 10Am feeling a bit peckish,and it occurs to me that I haven't eaten for two days Igo downstairsand stumble across the dining hall,where I can have three meals a day. I go down and join a lengthy file of people winding its way out into the open. 1"What's for breakfast?"I ask the guy in front of me. 12"No idea.I was too late for breakfast.This is for lunch." 13 It's self-service and today's menu indudes chidken,rice,potatoes,salad,vegetables, cheese,yoghurt and fruit.The boy in front piles itall onto his plate,pays for it,and goes to sit down.I seem to have lost my appetite. 14 My mother calls.She asks if I'm eating proper meals. Translation
Tuesday 10 Am feeling a bit peckish, and it occurs to me that I haven’t eaten for two days. I go downstairs and stumbleacross the dining hall, where I can have three meals a day. I go down and join a lengthy file of people winding its way out into the open. 11 “What’s for breakfast?” I ask the guy in front of me. 12 “No idea. I was too late for breakfast. This is for lunch.” 13 It’s self-service and today’s menu includes chicken, rice, potatoes, salad, vegetables, cheese, yoghurt and fruit. The boy in front piles it all onto his plate, pays for it, and goes to sit down. I seem to have lost my appetite. 14 My mother calls. She asks if I’m eating proper meals. Text
Text Wednesday 15 I have a lecture at 9 am.I wake up at 8.45.No one has woken me. Weird. 16 I pull on some clothes,and dash over to the lecture hall.I sit down beside a girl who looks half asleep.She inspects me."Just got up?" she asks.How can she tell? 17 The lecture takes an hour,and at the end I look at my notes.I can't read my handwriting. Translation
Wednesday 15 I have a lecture at 9 am. I wake up at 8.45. No one has woken me. Weird. 16 I pull on some clothes, and dash over to the lecture hall. I sit down beside a girl who looks half asleep. She inspects me. “Just got up?” she asks. How can she tell? 17 The lecture takes an hour, and at the end I look at my notes. I can’t read my handwriting. Text
Text 18 The girl's name is Sophie and she's an English literature major,like me.She looks frighteninglyintelligent,and when we chat after the lecture,she tells me she read the whole of this term's reading list during her gap year.She's a bit impressive,and I feel so ignorant. I don't even think I should breathe the same air as her. 19 Mum calls.She asks if I slept OK. Translation
18 The girl’s name is Sophie and she’s an English literature major, like me. She looks frighteninglyintelligent, and when we chat after the lecture, she tells me she read the whole of this term’s reading list during her gap year. She’s a bit impressive, and I feel so ignorant . I don’t even think I should breathe the same air as her. 19 Mum calls. She asks if I slept OK. Text
Text Thursday 20 It's the Freshers'Fair today,and Sophie and I go along to see how many clubs we can join.We concur that we want to make a lot of friends,so I sign up for ballroom dancing,the Artificial Intelligence Society,bell ringing and the Extreme Sports Club.Sophie signs up for Amateur Dramatics and the Mozart choir.I wonder if Sophie and I are going to stay buddies. 21 Mum calls.My brother has tried to rent out my bedroom back home.Mum reassures me that it's mine for as long as I need it,that it's my home and that they miss me very much,especially the dog.I burst into tears. Translation
Thursday 20 It’s the Freshers’ Fair today, and Sophie and I go along to see how many clubs we can join. We concur that we want to make a lot of friends, so I sign up for ballroom dancing, the Artificial Intelligence Society, bell ringing and the Extreme Sports Club. Sophie signs up for Amateur Dramatics and the Mozart choir. I wonder if Sophie and I are going to stay buddies. 21 Mum calls. My brother has tried to rent out my bedroom back home. Mum reassuresme that it’s mine for as long as I need it, that it’s my home and that they miss me very much, especially the dog. I burst into tears. Text