Meeting new Students

I was the only Creative Writer in the university yesterday. Our Head of School was away on vacation, and the second-in-command s the one who would normally greet these students, in the absence of other Admissions Tutors. It’s a funny month, August, yet for prospective students it’s a potentially exciting time of the year. They’ll be coming here soon. They’re trying to sort out what they need to do.

They were very quiet, which surprised me. I would never have been so quiet in those circumstances, I don’t think, even when I was that young. And yet I don’t consider myself to be a particularly extrovert person. I guess some of my writing friends would think I was, but compared to many others ….

They stayed for about an hour. I asked them questions and they asked me a few. All but one of the six – four English and Creative Writing, one English Literature and Language and one History – are starting this year. As often is the case with Creative Writing, several are coming in through access courses. Two were transferring from another university. So, in all but one case, it was not a matter of waiting for A-Level results.

Towards the end of the hour, the questions came. I was able to answer most of them and point them in the right direction for others. I’d be happy to work with any of them.