I got chatting to a lady called Alison, who seemed to recognise me (always worrying when someone I've never met recognises me!), and we compared our travel experiences. I'm fairly sure mine wins for sheer awkwardness -- taxi, train, train, tube, train, train.
Registration itself was a very speedy affair, and I was handed a large bundle of paperwork, a very clear map with key locations highlighted, and a blank name badge for me to fill in later.
Just as I'd finished registering I ran into my mate Mal, he and I did S104 together. He rode down last night to some relatives in Essex and got soaked through to the skin, along with a fair wodge of his luggage. He dried out overnight, then rode over to Sussex earlier today. It's nice to see a familiar face in amongst all the friendly faces; people do seem exceedingly friendly and keen to help here.
Walked across campus along pathways with lush green grass and trees on either side. It's an impressive campus but not quite as large as it appears in the photographs that I've seen. I am very glad that I borrowed Alan's suitcase, as it has four wheels and can be pushed along with virtually no effort at all, unlike my hand luggage case!
After asking for directions to the residential block I found myself checking in. I am billetted in flat 25B for the week, and I was told that it was up the stairs, or I can use the lift. I didn't fancy hauling all my crap up the stairs, so I went into the lift and up to the first floor. No sign of 25. Up again to the second floor, again no sign of 25 but the numbers were getting higher. So back into the lift for a final time up to the third floor, and bingo, success.
1.47pm. I'm in my room, home for the next week. It's a single private bedroom, one of 6 I think in a shared flat. The room is about 18 feet long by about 10 feet wide. With my back up against my door, the bathroom (loo, sink, shower, heated towel rail and a ventilator fan thank God) is to my left. To my right is the wardrobe. Very glad that I brought coat hangers, the University of Sussex have thoughtfully provided just three. The wardrobe also contains a spare pillow and shelving for odds and sods.
Further in on the right hand side is the bed, which I haven't yet sat on as it has half-emptied suitcases in it at the moment. Opposite the bed is the desk I'm currently sitting at with an office chair, and two shelves.
There is no University internet access (I tried my ethernet cable but it asked me for a University of Sussex username and password - bugger, it was worth a try). However my Three dongle works just fine. Huge relief that I will be able to connect to the outside world during the next week, otherwise I would probably feel rather isolated. There are four power sockets at the desk, and a further two on the wall at the foot of the bed, so I needn't have bothered bringing the extension cable, but it was still a good idea. It could very easily have been different.
Between the desk and the bed is a nice large window which runs floor to ceiling, and it opens about three inches, presumably for health and safety reasons, to stop drunken students or despondent physicists from hurling themselves out from the third floor onto the concrete below.
The accommodation itself is called Swanborough (snaps from Flickr are here and here), and I'm in block 3.
On my desk aside from my laptop, there is a dazzling array of paperwork for me to look through, to add to the dazzling array of paperwork that I already have. I shall go through all that in a bit.
I also have to write out my name badge, it should be an interesting week and by the end of it some of my colleagues may be able to pronounce my name, just in time to forget it again. My allocated group for the week is yellow rectangles, and to illustrate this there is a small yellow rectangle in the corner of my name badge.
The programme for later appears to run as follows:
4pm School Director's welcome, followed by Course Director's briefing and meeting with Group Tutors in Pevensey 1A7 Lecture Theatre in the Pevensey Building;
5.15pm Dinner
7.15pm Introduction to your activity tutors for Sunday and to Activity E in Pevensey Building rooms PB0A2, 1A1, 1A3, 2A1, 2A2, 2A3, 2A11 and 2A12.
All a bit bewildering just at the moment but no doubt by Friday I will be able to find my way around, just in time to leave...
According to one of the legion of pieces of paper on this desk is something telling me that tonight's entertainment in the East Slope Bar is internationally acclaimed drummer Tristan Banks and his powerful trio. Sounds like a polite euphemism for something but it should be good for a giggle.
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