When I first came to university in Southampton, I like
most other first year students would be living out and alone for the first
time. The city itself was a whole other world away from the hustle and bustle
of London. It shocked me that there was only one ‘main’ place for shopping-
West Quay, that there were no tubes to get you places quickly and even small
things, like the colour of the buses. I hadn't ever really actively thought
about what colour the bus would be in Southampton, but I definitely remember my
distinct surprise at their difference to the good ‘ol red bus at home.
I live in a very multicultural part of London, so when I
came to university it seemed like almost everyone was white or Chinese rather than the ‘super diversities’ of London.
Vertovec (2007) says that Super-diversity is characterized by a tremendous increase in the categories of migrants, not only in terms of nationality, ethnicity language, and religion, but also in terms of motives, patterns and itineraries of migration, process of insertion into the labour and housing markets of the host societies and so on.
I remember sharing these sentiments with fellow Londoners, as we bonded over how Southampton had nothing on London. At home, there is quite a large community of Somalis, I’m pretty sure I saw two or three in the whole of my first year. I have never really been ‘involved’ in the Somali community, but seeing them would bring me a sense of comfort, it was ‘normal’. I would ring my mum and she would comment on how my already questionable Somali had gone rusty. “Is there no one you can speak to in Somali there?” she would say. The first semester was a rough one for me, as I imagine it can be for most first years. The content of my course wasn't what I was expecting, my flat although lovely, weren't ‘my’ type of people and I even hated cooking for myself, so either I didn't eat or had takeaway. Eventually I acclimatised- it was either that or dropping out. I found my niche, my circle of friends and realised that the difference in my course was simply the jump from A-Levels to University. I can honestly say I have had the best few years so far; I've met amazing people, Southampton is definitely home to me now, on a par with London, they are both different and have different things to offer and I LOVE LIVING ALONE, I never thought I would have said that when I started.
Vertovec (2007) says that Super-diversity is characterized by a tremendous increase in the categories of migrants, not only in terms of nationality, ethnicity language, and religion, but also in terms of motives, patterns and itineraries of migration, process of insertion into the labour and housing markets of the host societies and so on.
I remember sharing these sentiments with fellow Londoners, as we bonded over how Southampton had nothing on London. At home, there is quite a large community of Somalis, I’m pretty sure I saw two or three in the whole of my first year. I have never really been ‘involved’ in the Somali community, but seeing them would bring me a sense of comfort, it was ‘normal’. I would ring my mum and she would comment on how my already questionable Somali had gone rusty. “Is there no one you can speak to in Somali there?” she would say. The first semester was a rough one for me, as I imagine it can be for most first years. The content of my course wasn't what I was expecting, my flat although lovely, weren't ‘my’ type of people and I even hated cooking for myself, so either I didn't eat or had takeaway. Eventually I acclimatised- it was either that or dropping out. I found my niche, my circle of friends and realised that the difference in my course was simply the jump from A-Levels to University. I can honestly say I have had the best few years so far; I've met amazing people, Southampton is definitely home to me now, on a par with London, they are both different and have different things to offer and I LOVE LIVING ALONE, I never thought I would have said that when I started.
In short, I’m guessing in life you will move around,
travel and meet different people, give it a chance because in pushing yourself
out of your comfort zone you will gain huge insight into yourself.
Source:
Vertovec, S. (2007) Super-diversity and its implications. Taylor & Francis
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