Caitlin over at Healthy Tipping Point is in the process of writing an article on dorm rooms (or “Halls” as we call them in the UK) and it got me to thinking about my first year at university all those years ago.

I went to the University of Kent at Canterbury for my undergraduate degree. This photo is me outside my college (Keynes) Halls last summer when I went back for a little trip down memory lane. Keynes was the envy of the university back in 1994, because it was the first college that had all single occupancy rooms with “en suites”. I put the words en suite in inverted commas for a reason. You’re probably imagining a proper bathroom aren’t you? Think again.

In reality these luxurious sounding en suites were a small plastic cubicle stuck in the corner of the room. Within this “pod” as they came to be known was a small sink, toilet and shower. It was like the bathrooms you get in Greek hotel rooms, you know the type – a shower and a drain, no cubicle or shower tray or shower curtain. But Canterbury is not Greece and it was rarely warm enough for the water to evaporate. Consequently every time you went to the loo you got your socks wet and the room always had a faint smell of damp. If you ever had a long shower you ran the risk of the pod leaking. Really there wasn’t that much to be envious of.

University was a bit of a strange transient time for me. I’d spent most of the previous two years travelling and living in Australia. By the time I got to university I was nearly 21. Three years isn’t a big age gap once you’re all grown up but the difference between 18 and 21 is immense. I think a lot of my fellow students saw me as a bit of a dinosaur.

Thank heavens then for my Tuesday night yoga class where I met a few fantastic people (I think university was where I first learned Rachel’s Law #3 – if you want to meet people, join a yoga class!), most of whom were considered “mature” students. I think university is the only place a 24-year-old is considered mature.

Rachel’s Law #2 is to make sure you always have space to put down your yoga mat. That bloody great plastic pod in the corner made it tricky but I did just about have space for my practice in my little room in Halls of Residence.

So, dear reader, did you live in Halls/Dorm Rooms at college? What were they like? What are your memories of them?

If you read my relatively infrequent blog updates you will know that over the last few weeks I have been slowly trying to draw myself back to an animal free diet. I’ve really surprised myself with some absolutely delicious meals – and secretly I think Himself has been rather surprised as well. He certainly hasn’t complained. And he’s been wonderfully supportive – although he has been cooking himself bacon on the BBQ in the back garden

My favourites so far have been the refried chili beans with brown rice and corn chips (still working on tracking down vegan sour “cream” in the UK) and the vegan Mac and “Cheese” I made last night (which could have done with a bit of extra Cheezley to be honest, but I’ll know for next time). The daal was also good but I made enough to feed an army so I got a bit bored of it!

Also been baking lots of nice vegan treats

=

We have been taking some time to visit various places that we probably won’t see again once we move to Cambridge. I’m not sure it’s always a good idea to re-visit places that have good memories attached, yet I persist in doing it (and persist in being let down!).

So on Saturday after I’d finished teaching, we took a nostalgic trip to the Fishponds. Back when we were first dating, I lived in North London and used to come down to Surbiton for the weekends where many a happy afternoon was spent at the Fishponds doing… well those things people who have just started dating do

We haven’t been for ages and ages so we thought it might be nice. We were wrong. All the fish seem to be dead. The ponds themselves have barely any water in them and the ducks are sort of paddling about in 6 inches of green sludge. On top of that there was a girl chucking rocks at ducks and her parents were just letting her. I really wanted to say something but I just don’t have the guts. It reminded me of the time I saw a woman letting her lab shit on the verge outside my house and then just walk away. I wish I’d said something to her to. My mum said I should have just taken her registration number and reported her. I’m sure I used to be more confrontational but I’m also very aware these days of trying hard not to think bad thoughts. Aaaarrrggghhhh!!!

Anyway next week I believe we’re going down to the East Sussex coast and ruin some memories there!