Fitting in can always be a challenge! (From Times Series)

The First day of College

6:53pm Sunday 26th September 2010

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It’s been roughly two weeks of sixth form or college and most people are getting into the flow of the A/S and A levels. Watching the new A/S year settling in reminded me of my attempt to settle into college life. It can be daunting for some, not knowing most of the people around you.

My tactic to ‘fit in’ was to memorise the ‘jokes’ at the back of the ‘Watsits’ crisp packets and telling them to unsuspecting potential friends. Which is ironic considering the jokes were ‘cheesy’ and the crisps are described as ‘cheesy!’ (For anyone who does not know what ‘Watsits’ are they are there a brand of cheesy puff crisps and shame on you for not knowing.) I then made a note of anyone who I thought was a friend (joking that would be sad.) I then (actually) made a ‘mental friends list.’ Despite not getting into double figures for the first few weeks in my ‘friend count’ this was my way of coping in a new environment.

I remember a particularly poignant line in achieving friends. It was the sort of ‘Marmite’ equivalent of friend making. You either love or hate this introduction which I used on many occasions during my first year. It would be me walking up to people and asking them ‘how much does a Polar bear weigh?’ This kind of innocuous yet odd question raised eyebrows before the inevitable: ‘I don’t know.’ Then I flash a quick smug look before answering: ‘Enough to break the ice, Hi I’m Mohamed-Zain.’

I started a new paragraph for readers to gulp the enormity of that joke. It was one of my heavyweight options in ‘friend-making.’ Needless to say it was the ‘love it or hate it’ response (mostly hate.)

But in the end, there is always a friend out there for each person. So although solitude is important at times, only in another person’s heart can you truly see yourself.

So whether you’re the quirky, peculiar poet who has a deep hatred for urinals (me) or the cool, spiky haired, leather jacket wearing smoker there is always another person you can relate too.