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So after a bad experience eating out, some reminiscing. Whilst we were finishing our rather poor food, we noticed a large group of young folk enter. About student age. Frances commented that it was the first day of term at the Universities (Strathclyde Uni is just around the corner, and Glasgow Uni a short tube^wsubway^wunderground ride away).

As I glanced over to the group that was sitting down, I had a flashback of sorts to those fitful first days at the start of a University year where you’re meeting new people in shared houses, flats, courses or halls for the first time. So full of enthusiasm for what’s new, for who you’re meeting, for where you are, for the life ahead of you. Remarkable stuff, and thoroughly enjoyable for what it is.

But I was struck as I glanced at this group of enthusiastic folk meeting potential life-long friends for the first time, that it was probably a spur-of-the-moment decision to go out. Somebody had probably suggested the idea of a “group meal”, and everybody liked the idea. So off you go and sit at a big table, anxiously glancing about, exchanging words with new neighbours, colleagues, friends-to-be. “Where are you from?“, “What are you studying?“, “How did you do in your exams?“, that sort of thing.

It’s a great experience, but all the more so for the inevitable disappointment that results. For every person you meet, make friends with and become life-long buddies with, especially in that melting-pot that is the first-year halls of residence, there will be countless others you don’t. You’ll talk to them, perhaps share a meal with them, go on a “house shop” with, and no doubt chat to the small hours with once or twice.

But the inevitable reality is that many of the folk you meet really just aren’t the sort of person you want to know in anymore detail – personality clashes, personal hygiene, inability to remember money-owed, return a beer bought, liking the wrong sort of music (or the right sort, just at the wrong volume at the wrong sort of time at the wrong sort of proximity to your bed), all conspires to be one of the most valuable lessons you learn when living away from home for the first time.

Don’t get me mixed up as some bitter and twisted old man here. Sure, University was just over ten years ago for me, but watching those young things in the restaurant reminded me that the most valuable lesson to take from these first few weeks away from home isn’t so much the friends you do make (who are valuable enough, and well worth it all!), but it’s the experiences you have with people, and the realisation that you simply aren’t going to get on with everybody you meet in life.

So, young things going on a house shop at Tesco’s in the next week or two, enjoy it whilst it lasts. Just don’t expect it to last forever, and relish it all the more so for not doing so

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 27th, 2005 at 10:09 pm and is filed under Glasgow, Personal, Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.