Uchay Writes

29.03.23 officially marked 4 years since I moved out of London. Unlike my brother who despised the change, I wasn’t fazed by the move. I guess already moving out for university made it easier for me to adapt to a new setting. A completely fresh start: new settings, new experiences, and new friends.

Though I struggled with my mental health at times, I believe moving out for university and moving homes was for the best. In this current moment I am much happier and glad that I have the people I have now in my life.

Here is a list of things which I have observed and experienced over these past 4 years:

1. Transport

People are so nice and civilised! There is no pushing and shoving of impatient Londoners trying to get on the bus. The people in Nottingham patiently wait in line, even greeting the driver with a ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’, then a ‘thank you’ or ‘cheers’ when getting off. I’ll give Londoners the benefit of the doubt since there are two sets of doors instead of the one door on Nottingham buses.

2. Friends

I missed my friends a lot when I moved but we always stayed in touch, whether through Facetime or simply sending each other memes. Moving to Nottingham also solidified those friendships as they were (and are!) always supporting me. They kept me grounded.

3. University

University was a rollercoaster. My 2nd year was when I found out that the “university are the best years of your life” discourse was a big fat lie. Feeble friendships, overwhelming assignments and loneliness. As I was feeling the pressure, Covid hit which added salt to the wound. The final year of my undergrad was the redeeming factor of my whole university experience. I did better in my assignments and I made genuine friendships. Being situated in Nottingham was a bonus as it took less than an hour to get home from Loughborough rather than over 2 hours to get to London.

4. Culture and Entertainment

Though I do love the peacefulness of Nottingham, there are limited sources of entertainment and events. I miss the endless exhibitions, museums and food spots London has to offer. Nothing will obviously match the multicultural environment of London which is one of the main things which I miss. The one thing which has remained the same is being a minority in the area I live. I grew up in a predominately Asian community in East London, and now I live in a predominantly white community in Nottingham. I’m just happy that both communities have been welcoming to my family and I.

5. Religion/Church

The programmes that church had to offer really helped with loneliness as well as my love for church in general. Over the years, especially now, I’ve become more involved in church activities and have been given more responsibilities. There is a programme called Young Adults (YA) where I have managed to make some friends. Though I have grown up with a number of youth, I’ve never had genuine church friends I hang out with outside of church and I am grateful I have found that in Nottingham.

6. Space

The transition from our cramped maisonette in London to our now spacious house in Nottingham was a huge blessing. My brother and I no longer had to share a room and enjoyed the solitude of our own space, my mum got her garden and my dad, well he’s just happy to be here. We now get to enjoy our summers in the garden, bumping to music and our signature BBQs.

Overall, moving to Nottingham is a decision I’m glad my parents made. Even my brother has come around since moving to London for university because he appreciates the calm vibes Nottingham brings as apposed to London madness. I’m still young and the career I want to pursue will probably drag me to different parts of the country. I love welcoming change and look forward to new experiences in different settings whether it be for work, socially or overall environment.