Seven signs that you’re no longer a silly University of Birmingham fresher

Turning the big old age of 20, you are no longer a teenager anymore and you are beginning to adult. Not only this, you are now given the privileges to blame everything going wrong in your life on freshers (that was a joke).

Whilst being annoyed at freshers for breathing near you may be one of the best privileges granted as a second year, here are the few signs to show you are becoming more haggard by the day!

Actually going to your 9ams

We’ve all been there. The timetables come out and you see you’ve got a 9am or perhaps for the bravest soldiers, more than one. As a fresher, these might as well have been optional because you knew you weren’t going, especially on a Thursday. But unfortunately, now that your degree actually counts, these lectures aren’t to be missed. Every lecture you skip suddenly becomes a nine to five in the library realising you need to lock in for this year.

Sorting out bills, putting the bins out

Adulting is sadly part of the Selly reality. Once you’ve started comparing bills packages, that’s when you know you’re no longer a silly fresh. Take my advice and get all bills included, its not fun trying to debate with your housemates whether heating and internet is essential or not. You’ve started going to the library just because it’s warmer than your musty Selly house and your hot water bottle is your best friend. I can confirm that googling when the bins go out is truly an adult experience, and believe me, it’s as depressing as it sounds.

Choosing nights in

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When you start saying no to a night out, that’s when you know you’ve really grown up. Your frontal lobe has developed and the idea of Heidi’s Tuesday (or Barbara’s now, I guess?), is not as appealing as it used to be. The hangovers start lasting for more than just an hour and you’ve realised more than 1 night out a week is actually impossible.

No trees here

Never did I think I would miss the Vale but I do. Summer evenings sat on the hill and the squirrels running around as you walk past the ducks – that was the life. Sadly, these are sights you don’t see in Selly, unless you count the rats as wildlife. Frankly, I’ve become accustomed to the Smelly Oak life, the bin juice on the pavements though does still make me wretch. Im in that much of a crisis I would even go as far to say that I miss the lake, and everyone knows how grotty that thing is.

So much closer to campus

Yes, that’s right. You’ve really not got an excuse anymore. Campus is no longer a half an hour trek away but a mere five or 10 minute stroll, that means even your 6pm to 7pm seminar isn’t too much of an ask. This also means Sport and Fitness is a hell of a lot closer too so there’s no reason for not using that £300 membership or missing your 10am Pilates. And if even that’s too far, you’ve got Tiv Gym on your doorstep to really shorten that commute. If you see my bad form doing weights, I don’t even want to hear it, my winter arc has just started.

Aldi trips are now exciting

The dreaded shopping day of each week was the worst experience any fresher can go through. Sweaty faced walking through campus back to the Vale, with bags for life ripping your hands apart. But fear not because as a second year, those days are firmly behind you. The food shop can be done in half an hour and you still look completely put together when you’re back!

Smelly Oak

As nobody understands the bin days of Smelly Oak, its a common occurrence to see at least three bin bags per street ripped up across the pavement. These streets have seriously got me feeling like Lara Croft avoiding the bin juice and food waste on the floor. This is your sign to properly tie your bin bags up before you see your disastrous cooking from the night before smeared on Dawlish Road. Not only this, it makes Selly Oak smell exotic (to be nice about it). If there was a reed diffuser I could put around Selly Oak I truly would.