Library Literary Competition Winners

College is my home away from home,

It is safe, structured and sanctified.

Here you will be accepted for you are,

No matter your past or previous inclinations,

This is a garden of Eden,

So long as you mind your head.

You can find the right path here if you so choose.

 

I’ve spent many hours smoking in the cold air with friends,

Savouring each fresh breath as I care to take it,

I wag my chin and wave my hand,

Hoping no one can see me choke,

For if I croak, I may finally take a trip to the glistening lake of solitude.

How long it takes to catch a moment of pure delight,

Even if behind every corner is a new and dangerous hight.

 

Although college is the one place, I feel I can be me,

I am drowsy from all the late nights and early rises,

In preparation for tedious standardised tests,

to see if a cat can fly,

If a bat can walk,

Or if a rat can talk,

Not everyone learns the same way.

 

I see pride in the book-keepers, those who care about passion, integrity and respect,

so much more than the suits in their fortified towers of over-achievement.

A toast to the guardians who care to tend the gardens of the mind,

As words fly off the pages into our bright young minds hoping to take root.

Within these walls harbour a great assortment of creativity, logic, passion and diversity,

Many have come and gone and more shall do the same,

All unique individuals that dream of success and fame.

 

In this string of positives and negatives,

I find only one solace,

That these experiences consolidate,

to form a bright and better version of myself.

I now feel as if I can take on the world,

Achieve all that I’ve dreamed of,

With this new personality of mine.

She knew what she wanted and she had a plan. The classes- she signed up for at the local college- were a start, a little step forward to bring her closer to her dreams. “First this, then that”- she liked to tell herself.

Isn’t it the older you grow, the clearer your mind becomes, as you let you go of the things that no longer matter? When she became an adult college student, she had no expectations of college life. After all, she has been there before…

The memories came flooding in. Everything was new and strange, therefore exciting. There was something magical and once in a lifetime about the experience of becoming a student. Young people, with their heads full of dreams and aspirations, still barely able to figure out their own place in the world, yet embarking on an empowering journey of self- discovery and growth. And the friendship… She smiled at the fond recollection of the people she had met, the times of fun and moments of laughter. Yes, to expect anything from college life this time round would be greedy.

Besides, she felt too old.

She thought of her classes as of one boarding the train to get from A to B: not much thought was given to the short journey itself, but if you struck a conversation with a friendly fellow passenger or two, it was guaranteed to brighten up your day!

It’s not that she didn’t feel enthusiastic. It was a calm and composed excitement of knowing that things had been put in motion; there she was, taking one of many more steps to go after what she had her heart set on for so long.

‘Beep beep!’ the loud disturbing ear-ringing noise echoed across the bedroom, no rest for the wicked.

Time to wake up and go to college, grabbing a slice of dry toast as I rushed to the front door!!

I walked through the big, shiny, transparent glass doors, they were like crystal, everything was immaculate, not a thing out of place.

Everywhere I looked there was dozens of people rushing to get from A to Z.

As I was yawning continuously, slowly walking through the corridor I heard a thud, the small red box located on the right hand side of the wall was smashed and a bellowing uncomfortable noise coming from all directions, left right, upstairs downstairs. Packs of people hurrying to reach the fire point!!

The wind was whistling furiously as I stood in and orderly ever-ending line waiting just to get back inside, my swept hair getting bigger by the second as the rain had poured. The alarm stopped everyone cheered and we could finally go back inside at last.

It all seems to be flawless on the outside, always with a big smile trying your best to get that brownish-yellow letter from the postman to confirm if you can move to next class.

It is excruciating nowadays peculiarly with the word fighting to get to normality.

September 2019

Heart pounding. Bated breath, Blood running cold. What could I possibly expect? And the weather wasn’t helping at all. Harsh wind trying to lift you up like a plane about to take off, unseasonable, from where I came from. Now my feet should be immersed in a yellow-dandelion sand with the sun-kiss on my face. But here we go, me entering the massive doorway with a mignon card saying “first lesson room F:36′.

Left, right I don’t know which path to take. Suddenly I took the stairs and luckily I found the class. The teacher and the classmates were really welcoming especially when they decided to rap like Eminem!

It has been really a good year, learning new cultures and skills, especially in the Hospitality and Catering course. Yet the most arduous thing was to catch the right bus to get to college.

September 2020

Second year. My mind is all over the place I can’t shut it up, something needs to be done as soon as possible because I’m going to lose it.

I draw the course; wondering what the future holds.

September 2021

GCSE’s is the aim, I know it won’t be easy with a full-time job but with determination, strength and study the brownish-yellow letter will come with positive result.

Life is full of surprises, never give up.

Well done to Emilia for her very real account of a day in her life at College.

College is where all teenagers’ memories are made, it’s where the journey starts!

Hey, I’m Rama. I used to study in school but I was sent by school to college in my area.

I usually take the bus to get to college. There are lots of students that take the bus because most of us can’t afford a car. My day starts at home when the alarm wakes me up at 7am. I take a warm bath every morning to refresh my mind and body and then prepare my breakfast and get ready so I catch the bus by 8am.

College is the place where you see and get to know people and gives you the chance to learn about new and different cultures from around the world.

My first lesson starts at 9am and my last finishes at 5:30, sometimes college can get exhausting because of it’s long hours but breaks between lessons help us keep concentrating.

Most of the time after college I like to go out with my friends for a late-night coffee or for dinner as I’m living alone away from my parents.

Life at this stage could be rough on some of us, for the ones who live alone and study as we have other responsibilities to take care of such as our house rent,work, food shopping, bills, and many other.

Overall I really like being a college student as I make memories everyday and I get to meet new people and make friends, I wish I never grow up.