REFLECTION 1
My first week at ‘university’
The much anticipated day had arrived, the beginning of the first week of an experience that had been in the back of my mind for many years never really believing it would happen for one reason or another. I begin university life as a mature student having left school at the tender age of 16 to pursue a career in the construction industry and go on to complete eight years of Training. During this time I was involved in nearly every modern day conflict that many are made aware of through the media. These times were unsurprisingly very difficult yet very rewarding in some respects; some of my experiences are those that most people are only ever likely to be seen in films. It is because of my experiences that I made a decision to change my path in life, and this involved my returning to education firstly at my local college in Geelong Victoria where I successfully completed a diploma Built Environment. It was a huge decision to return to education and found it difficult to adapt initially but with help, and my continuous desire to succeed got me to where I wanted to be, university. From the day I completed my course at college the countdown was on, day by day, week by week, the overwhelming feelings of anticipation and trepidation would continue to build and the early stages brought about feelings of it not being real somehow, the question being asked, ‘Am I really going to university?’, and the answer really only becomes clear as I made my way up the drive way and begun to unload my possessions. The first hours of the first week are filled with many questions, most of which are nearly impossible to be answered immediately, questions like ‘Will I meet new friends?’, and ‘How are people going to react to me?’ Given my life experience you would think that these sorts of questions will not provide any level of anxiety but human nature dictates that it is only natural to feel this way as everybody wants to be liked and...