Chapter 1 - College

Karens first day at college is a struggle but is better than she thought

I watched the trees, the fields and the sheep go by as I rolled down the window hoping the air might calm me whilst my mother was driving the car down the quiet country road. Nerves were going crazy around my body making me shake and shiver, eyes full of tension and lips as dry as a rough piece of old wood not caring that the wind is messing up my straight brunette hair.  “I know your worried Karen, but trust me, this time tomorrow you’ll be excited to go to college” My mum Gill calmly said, I appreciated her attempt of taking my nerves away, we both knew it wouldn’t but at least she tried so I flashed her a half smile as she placed her hand onto her nervous daughter.

 

 20 minutes driving from home and arriving at college, we were lucky to have pulled up in a wide enough gap between 2 jeeps in a tight car park having a maximum of 12 spaces. As I glared at my mother with frightened eyes, she could even see a tear in my left eye “go on you, go, you have the power to do this” Gill whispered as she was leading up to kiss her daughters forehead “now go on, love you” taking a refreshing deep breath and opening  the door I said with power “thanks mum, love you to, try not to worry about me, I’ll be fine” hoping those last 8 words put her at ease as I slowly closed the door to savor the moment.

 

Walking through the main door of the college, with shaken confidence I walked briskly to keep my mind occupied from the anxiety and worry I have about my first day here, not knowing anyone but one girl who I briefly met at the open day named Milly. As I strolled into the main hall, I was looking around for her, but she was nowhere to been seen, It shouldn’t matter if she was coming or not but a presence of someone I knew would instantly relax me. When I received a text from her saying she’s on the bus and almost there, I felt relieved that I wouldn’t be sort of… abandoned. I tried waiting for her patiently but it couldn’t work for me, I was made even more anxious and a little self conscious, I thought a bit of air whilst waiting for her at the bus stop, 5 minute walk from the college would do me good.

 

My first day went as fast as a sports car on a motorway, each minute passing by I felt more and more comfortable, meeting people I had things in common with and having the confidence to ask a group of girls for Milly and I to sit with them in the cafeteria inside the main building. As I was sitting down I noticed one of the girls was someone I used to be friends with and also a neighbor whom we have lost contact with each other, all of the girls on that table soon became my best friends.