Lucy Ivison and Tom Ellen’s new book, FRESHERS is a warm, hilarious and perfectly observed coming-of-age comedy about the first year of university. It's a story of friendships and feminism, falling apart and finding yourself (and so much more), from this much-loved writing partnership, and is perfect for readers about to head off to uni, or for those who might be looking back…
Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison
Here, Lucy and Tom take a look at the key moments you realise you’re coming of age in the UK:
You know that the night bus is an integral part of any night out. And you know the night bus main players – the criers, the fighters, the singers, the this-is-my-last-chance to pull-ers and the girls making best friends with people they’ve never met.
You know your candidate number off by heart. You will be saying it on your death bed. It’s never leaving. Along with useless exam knowledge, your UCAS code and the ever present gnaw that maybe you should stop watching Riverdale and start revising…
You’ve been for an STI test. Because you were listening in PSHE and almost vommed in the pictures section.
Older members of your family have stopped remarking on pace of growth but are asking more soul searching questions. Like ‘What do you want to do with your life?’, ‘Do you have a love interest?’, ‘Could you explain snapchat to me? They were talking about it on This Morning…’ The hard hitting questions that only apply to the almost fully formed and ready to hit the road.
You have tutted about youth behaviour to a friend, knowing you have engaged in said behaviour in the not too distant past yourself. Even people two years younger than you are just ‘kids’ who know no better.
Nostalgia – you cry looking of pictures of that time you wore jeggings, blue eye-shadow, fake nerd glasses and Jack Wills socks to a disco. But not with the horror cringe desperate rage to remove it you used to have, but with pure unbridled nostalgia. Those were frankly, simpler times.
You have had a huge, ridiculous but extremely real celebrity crush. Whatever happens, and whoever comes your way in the future, they will always, always be the first notch on your bedpost. Sighs.
People expect you know things – directions, who to vote for, how to make lasagne, how to work the dishwasher and manage your own money.
You start to see your parents as people who are you know - just trying to live. They are flawed and make mistakes and didn’t always do the ideal thing but actually, being an adult is pretty hard it turns out so maybe you were a bit harsh that time when you expected them to react like parents from a TV show with a psychotherapy qualification…
You are beginning to see the advantages of rain appropriate footwear. This is England after all…
