Since my last post there have been a lot of goodbyes. I could only spend the one night at UEA with my sister as all the things that I had to sort out started to mount up; jabs, pills… and shopping. Headed back home on thursday via my Grans house for a quick lunch and farewell and went straight onto my GP’s and got a couple of needles stuck into my arm. Fun times.
Me and Jordan trying to be cleaver with a camera flash... how cool
After my mum got a bit teary (the first time of many) I set off to Exeter for a farewell weekend. A friend of mine, Jordan Lee, was driving me down and driving me back to join me in my celebrations. Thanks to him for the 8 hours of driving he went through!
Gotta say that it felt weird that I was heading down there for the last time as a student. No graduation, no grad ball, I would have to make the most of the weekend ahead.
Unfortunately we broke down half way there.
There was something wrong with the clutch… or something… I’m not what you might call a good mechanic! After a bit of a panic and a lucky encounter with someone who knew a bit more about cars, we called the AA and had to wait around in the service station for an hour and half for them to turn up. Luckily I had some mobile broadband and my laptop with me. Three episodes of Family Guy later and they showed up, only for the problem to have fixed itself. Bummer.
After a few good laughs with the AA man (ahem) we were back on our merry way, but only managed to get into my house at around 1.15 in the morning. Turns out travelling is pretty exhausting (who knew) and so we crashed out…
The History Boys at Exeter Uni
Eager to make up for lost time we headed to the Vic (our local) for a good pub brunch the next day and met up with a few people. A few games of pool, and couple of beers later it was suddenly evening. A friend of mine was in the play ‘The History Boys’ at the uni, so went up to watch him strut his stuff. Well done to Matt Harris, Theo Fraser and Kate Shlugman for all the hard work they put into it, it was a brilliant show and would have loved to see it again!
Once the curtain come down, myself and Jordan went straight into The Ram (the uni watering hole) and began the weekend celebrations with the rest of the cast. One thing led to another and we were both nicely drunk. Time to move on…
The Lemmy... on a good night
To anyone who does not know The Lemmy, it can only be described as a very big school hall, with a bar and a dance floor. It isn’t the most flashy place in the world, but then which Student Union is? I can’t go into much detail about the events that took place there that night, as I can’t fully remember them. But suffice to say that I had good night, thanks to the video that I took (and incidentally can’t remember taking) of what happened when we got back. Jordan you are a legend.
The next morning I spent a long time trying to get me and Jordan out of bed. I can’t honestly say that I was trying that hard.
Still not in the mood to do any sort of cooking ourselves, we went back to The Vic for our second pub brunch. As hung over as we were I thought it would be a nice opportunity to watch the muchly anticipated season finale of lost. I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone who wants to watch it, and anyone who just doesn’t care… all I need to say about is that I was not amused… it did NOT cure my hang over.
That evening a friend of mine, Jess, had said that she wanted to take me out to dinner as a congratulations thing. As if paying for my dinner wasnt enough, she presented me with a bound book of pictures over the past three years of uni. What an absolute star. on the way back home, to a house where I thought there would be a few people waiting to have a couple of drinks with, Jess said we had to swing by the Amber Rooms, a little bar on the high street of Exeter, to say happy birthday to a friend who was having a party upstairs.
Singing at Amber Rooms
As I walked up the stairs to the party room I could hear no music, no background noise and no bar staff. I thought nothing of it and kept on going. On walking into the room I was greeted by a roar of people rushing forward and shouting ‘SURPRISE!!!’ and I almost knocked over the bar as I flung myself against it. It took me about 20 minutes to stop shaking and drink after drink was thrust into my hand.
Me and Glynn after a few...
There was karaoke, a friend was DJing and after another 20 minutes I was sat down in front of a TV screen and played a video of all my friends saying well done and goodbye. Jess is an absolute star!!!! It was a great night, and such a great way to say goodbye to so many people.
The next day I spent in a hung over blur, and spent my last night in a room with some of my closest friends until the early hours of the morning, filled with many emotional goodbyes!
Since then I have watched the video 6 or 7 times, and it never fails to get me a little choked up. I’m back at home now ‘packing’ or so I hope, and getting ready for the trip of a lifetime!!
Thank you to Jordan for driving me down there and keeping hush about the whole thing the whole way down.
Thanks to everyone who said something on the video and who were there on Sunday night to say goodbye!
And thanks especially to Jess who made this weekend so amazing, I will never forget it!
I have already planned what I am doing for graduation, but I will definitely miss being in Exeter with all the drama lot as they walk up to the podium. But what a way to say goodbye instead!
Tomorrow night I’m having a small send-off back home, which will be a nice way to start the travels and a great way to try to stop mum from crying… again (we went to dinner the other night and she got all emotional… im starting to feel like im dying or something).
Till next time
Matt
WTI 2010
