White.
They say white is the combination of all colours. This is an ideal concept to welcome you to join me on my journey or at least, its beginnings. I promise it will be colourful, but for now, let’s stick to white.
A white envelope was the first thing I ever received at my arrival at Woodward Buildings. It contained a few documents, but most importantly, a white card. Had I known that I would soon be locked out of my room because of forgetting it, I would have grabbed it tighter. Besides that unfortunate event, all the ones that proceeded it were far from disappointing.
I opened the door to the four walls that would instantly become my home for the next year. Although some may say that it was a procedure like many others, leaving my things inside it was the first page of a next chapter, a white page to be filled with so many new friendships and experiences.
During that weekend, over white kitchen tables or stuck in White City underground station due to strikes, everything started to fall into place. I found myself in a city that no longer called me a stranger. I connected with this place and its people. I was a fresher having the time of my life (but also suffering the so-called “freshers’ flu”).
Then, without even realising so, Monday arrived and I somehow managed to make my way to the Great Hall, where I was welcomed by important personalities in white shirts and suits. This talk was followed by many others, briefings and other introduction.
The first week flew by and, similarly, the paradise disappeared. Lectures started and whiteboards were soon filled with algebraical expressions I had never seen before. I didn’t really understand much and I even panicked a bit, but my inner self told me that this was what I signed for when choosing an engineering at Imperial. I guess I will manage to decipher my notes at some point.
I read that white is usually associated with positivity and that it helps to get mental clarity. I think I might try to imagine a white void from time to time. I’ll keep you updated how this theory turns out.
