Friends, Food and Freshers Week | Bismarck State College

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Friends, Food and Freshers Week

I just completed my first week of living on campus, and it has been interesting. This week is the week before classes start which is known as “Freshers Week.”
 Each day of Freshers Week was filled with its own set of events. One day, we had orientation in the morning, but I nearly missed it because I could not find the room it was held in. Another day, the main building on campus hosted a fair where school clubs (or as they say, “societies”) recruited students, and there was every type of society one could imagine: Harry Potter Society, Political Societies, Religious/Interfaith Societies, Rock Climbing Society, Pole/Aerial Dancing Society, LGBT Society, Law Student Society, Disney Fan Society, the list is endless. Twice this week, they have had tours of Liverpool (which is just a 30 minute train ride away). Just about every day this week, students were scrambling to meet with the department heads of their studies to get signatures; a procedure that is required for all international students. The days were also filled with students trying to figure out the layout of the campus, where their classes are, and how to change their classes.

Each night had its own series of parties. Honestly, there were parties every single night hosted by the school. Each one had a theme: UV Paint Party, Silent Discos, live performances by musicians I had never heard of, Toga Party, etc. The only one I ended up attending was the Toga Party, because it had one of the cheapest entry fees. The entry fees discouraged students from the night-club-like events, and inspired them to host their own parties in bars in Ormskirk, or even in the common rooms of their dorms. There was more to this week than parties and events, though.

In between that cracks of that schedule, every international student was working to make something about their lives normal. Like myself, many students came here as the only person from their home institution. Many students came in groups, and many chose England to improve their English. Thus, many of us have been simply building bridges with other students. The popular pass time is drinking together, watching movies together, or my favorite, taking turns cooking dishes from our home countries. Just yesterday, a friend of mine from Poland made a meal that consisted of rice, yogurt, apples, cinnamon and sugar mixed into one bowl. It was great! In a few minutes, I am going to meet with some friends from France to have a Crepe Party.

Friends, food, and Freshers Week has been fun. I am a little sad to see it end, but that just means the next adventure can begin.

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