I love bringing people together. Specifically, I love introducing friends from different parts of my life to each other. The friendships I have formed in each of my life locations have been integral to the experiences I have had in those locations. Therefore, by meeting my friends from different locations, one can gain a better understanding of the life I have led and the person whom I have become. I also just really enjoy awkward situations 😀 But it’s never awkward for long because my friends immediately have something in common: they are all super cool. Right?
Last Saturday night, as part of a weekend in London, I had the joy of watching six of my friends meet and greet as part of a mass Catmac friendship experiment. The mixture included friends from Inverness, university and a special appearance from Ashlea, a friend from my exchange year in Utrecht. As expected, everyone got on, there were hugs at the end of the night, promised catch-up drinks and a lot of facebook-adding the following day. I call that a success!
I think part of the reason I enjoy bringing my friends together is because it’s important to me to feel part of something: a community. I guess my sense of belonging is emphasised when I know everyone in that community and they know me.
Time is passing very quickly at the castle. A lot has happened in the five weeks that I’ve been here which suits my temperament down to the ground as I love being busy. However, it’s a funny kind of working environment because I don’t feel like I ever really leave work. Even when I’m away from the office, in my own room as I am now, I’m still existing in my job environment. The days kinda roll into each other; the stage on which my life plays out doesn’t change; the people with whom I interact are the same every day.
I’ve always considered myself to be a very independent person. When moving to different environments, I’ve always set out to create different social networks, creating a life which is entirely my own in which I can determine exactly what I do and when I do it. There was some degree of apprehension when I moved to the castle and realised this sense of independence would no longer be possible. However, I’ve surprised myself. Five weeks in and I’m actually not bothered at all. Why? (I think it’s) Because I’m part of a community.
There are about 140 students studying at the castle. Added to that there are maybe about 70 members of faculty and staff who work here. That’s not really that many people. I may be seeing the same people every day but this has meant that I have quickly felt a sense of belonging to the castle community; I am one of that small number. Specifically, my academic travel colleagues and I get on extremely well – I think we’re all equally easily amused. Our wider team seems to be constantly eating birthday cake. I’ve joined the castle choir and become involved with a student club focused on my favourite Canadian charity, Free The Children. I go on field study trips with different groups of students almost every weekend. Regular hang-outs are had with corridor buddies Nick and Mitch. I eat alongside the students and my colleagues three times a day. Inevitably, I meet the same people in different contexts, increasing the common ground and bond. I love it.
Don’t get me wrong though, I still enjoy an independent CatMac. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to catch up with friends in both Edinburgh and London. It was good to wander extensively, coffee it up extensively, and community it up extensively!