Joe Bloggs

Library snoozes

This story of a student in New York sleeping in the library (because he couldn't afford accomodation in the city) reminded me of my first night at university. I missed Fresher's week (is that what they call it?) because I'd only just got back to the UK via a long journey across Siberia on the railway a week before. Having been away for over 6 months, I wasn't about to go straight up north and face my future. There were family and friends to catch up with. Once they were safely caught and herded, I went up. I'd already arranged accomodation in a flat via some helpful University office and arrived into Sheffield late on Sunday evening, thinking that at least my neighbour would be in and possibly offer me a place to sleep on his floor. Well he'd done a bunk - where were you Nigel when I needed you? - and I ended up going to a nearby hall of residence and asking if they could put me up. The porter said I could sleep in the library and, if memory serves me right, I wasn't the only one in there that night. Another straggler from some far flung foreign shore was on the other side of the room. Still eight months sleeping in chairs and one night in a sleeping bag on a hard floor doesn't really compare.