Bringing/Bring Back the Good Times

by Samyukta Vidyashankar

A month before university started, be- fore I entered my third year of stress induced terror and inkling of imposter syndrome, I told myself that this would be my year and that I was going to claim it. No more sweating the small stuff, no more self-inflicted stress, no more letting the little things get to me. Moving halfway across the world to start a whole new chapter of your life has been nothing short of daunting. But in the two years that I’ve been here, it’s safe to say that Glasgow has grown on me. Nothing screams ‘main character energy’ more than when you’re walking down Great Western Road, overpriced (but very much worth it) coffee in hand, wind in your hair and Miss Montana’s ‘Ordinary Girl’ blasting on full volume – trust me, don’t knock it till you try it. Some of us have been robbed of some major milestones at uni, some of our very important firsts. Whether that may be your first Hive night, your first sub crawl, rolling up to your lecture insanely hungover or heck … even turning up to your first ever in-person lecture! We’ve missed these small wins, these moments of joy that bring tiny smirks to our face and make for some of the best memories! It sucks, it’s not fair and you’re al- lowed to moan and complain about it. But hey! Fresh start and all that jazz. New academic year, new you right? Things are starting to look up, our loved ones are getting vaccinated, hugs are a thing you can do now and catching up with a friend over cof- fee on a rainy day can happen now!

Hit all the snazzy vintage stores in town and have a crazy photoshoot of it! Carpe Diem the heck out of your 4 years here! Surround yourself with people that radiate the best vibes – your chosen family. Grab your polaroid and film cameras and document every single moment, you won’t regret it. Go buy that overpriced coffee at your local, or brave the Pret queue if you’d prefer. Make a playlist for every occasion, be it for the walk to the library, the barbecue’s at Kelvingrove park, the pres for a night out, or for when uni gets a bit too much and you just need a bit of a cry with your room/flat mate. Take in the views that Glasgow has to offer, there’s really no better place to be the main character. Take it from a girl that moved from a desert country, as much I miss my beaches and the heat, and never fail to whine about the constant downpour we’re blessed with – I’ve found my second home and have carefully handpicked a group of fantastic individuals I’m grateful to call my friends. So, don’t waste another minute! Don’t settle to be the side character in the movie of your life. Reclaim the memories you’ve lost out on. It’s your world and we’re just living in it.