In the Beginning...

I arrived at Cambridge railway station at about ten o’clock, due to a number of fortuitous connections, and caught a taxi to Selwyn college. It felt a bit strange, knowing that this was going to be the last time I would roll up to college in this manner. I got the key to my new room (on C staircase in old court) from the porter on duty in the porters lodge, and let myself in. I had selected this room over nine months ago during the room ballot, but without the posters or items of its previous occupant it looked a bit desolate and depressing, so after emptying my suitcase into the dresser and cupboard, I went down to the college basement to collect the rest of my possessions, boxed and stored at the end of last year.

There were a lot of new first years milling about - they had all come up over the weekend, and were busy indulging in usual fresher behaviour. It is odd to consider that it only takes two or three years to produce cynical finalists to whom first years look immature. No doubt I will soon be remarking on the youth of policemen!

Anyway, here I am, writing up the first entry for this journal, and I am immediately giving it a world-weary edge. Enough already!

I met Julian unloading his stuff from the basement, so we helped each other move in to our respective rooms. Julian chose to remain in the same room he had last year, on A staircase. He claims to appreciate living next to the pigeon holes, and I have noted that he is fanatical about checking his mail.

Once we were settled, Julian made a cup of tea, and Jon dropped by. He had come up on Friday, and was already studying in the library every day. With the likes of that to compete with, how will I ever get a good degree result! (I got a 2:2 last year). Julian then showed us his latest acquisitions, two books on night climbing, by Hederatus and Whipplesnaith (note that these are pseudonyms). Jon was a touch surprised at this - he had assumed that our discussions last year about setting up a night climbing society were just so much bravado, but was still willing to go along with the idea.

I also found an invite in my pigeon hole to visit Jack and his girlfriend Sue. I decided that this would be a good thing to tomorrow, and Julian promised to come along too.

I went to bed at the early hour of eleven o’clock, after a few pints in the college bar. Re-reading this it sounds a bit dull - but I hope that it will liven up as the term procedes. Six terms of experience has always shown this to be the case, so please bear with me - beginnings are the hardest part.

(Read about how the idea for the Night Climbing project began.)