Mass Observation: The Birds Sing Loudly but You Nearly Didn't Hear Them

 

 

Rain, Students and Cigarettes

 

One deserted student stands; her cigarette burns her yellow fingertips as the frosty air has made it impossible to raise the cancerous stick to her round pouty mouth. She shelters from the drizzle, on this bleak Friday morning, by dragging the hood on her cheap navy blue mac over her head covering her eyes as if to protect her vision from this placid scenery.

 A solemn man captures my attention as he carries a puzzled look on his caricature-like face. He heads towards the pond where his over-worn, green polo shirt camouflages with the unkempt shrubbery. He peers into the unsettled pond as if mesmerised by something and steps further into the wild greenery and disappears from sight; only to reappear again holding a sample of contaminated pond water.

 I approach a ‘No Smoking Area’, where five indefinable teenagers cluster and a cloud of poisonous smoke lingers in the damp air as they draw long, attitudinal drags of their cigarettes. The drizzle turns into a down pour and the group of casual smokers hunch their backs and huddle closer together to steel each other’s heat.

 As the rain floods the University’s floor, the students abandon their activities and go indoors. All I am surrounded by now are the cigarette butts left on the ground.

 

Lottie McKenzie

 

A Random Spill of Information

The rain dashes down in windy waves, It’s the stuff that soaks you through. Ripple after ripple cascade over the duck pond surface. I find cover as not to get too wet.

Walking to the Faculty of Health building a young girl runs past in a tight white top and pink hot pants, screaming into the wind like a Banshee.

Sitting down in the café at the lower level of the building, two young ladies are in deep conversation on how one of them must finish her boyfriend at home because of what she did last night. I now cast my gaze onto a man dressed in black carrying a flask he looks happy to be here!

A student nurse walks past with a slow swagger with heavy shoulders there is no visible chip, her head hangs low. Something is weighing her down, tiredness perhaps?

A lady walks past pushing a pram with a newly born baby crying. The crying gets louder and louder until she nurses him. She looks stressed like she is being judged I feel a connection with her.

A group of girls are now in the café queue each of them order a different variation of coffee and walk past all giddy about last night’s antics.

On hearing a clunk! Clunk! Clunk! I look up to see a rather rounded lady with typical ‘Teacher’ attire. She hurries along with a slight limp and her black curly hair bouncing as she walks. She has a big warm welcoming smile on her face, she reminds me of my Aunty Carole.

I go back upstairs and see the rain still dripping on the windows. A girl hurries past in a pink flowing top trying to open a bottle of coke, it spills out all over her.

A golf buggy pulls up and out gets a man who is soaking wet his mood written all over his face, he walks towards the doors with a long steady stride.

A pair of jeans walk past me I look up and a girl has a big smile on her face, like you do when you are reliving a fond memory. She then trips over, blushes and laughs at herself.

Is a Parka jacket custom student uniform?

I overhear a conversation above me between a man and women. There is a lot of laughing going on, almost in a flirtatious way, should I be listening?

I sit quietly until I hear bustle of noise getting louder I turn to see a lecture ending and students coming out in abundance. I hear one student say ‘80% 80% I can’t remember anything she has just said’.

Emma Blemings

 

Observational Mass

Leaves bounced gently upon their branches and birds happily took advantage of the momentary silence, beating their wings swiftly causing their bodies to sway up and down in forward flight. Fallen leaves as common as puddles after the autumn rain were carried off by the breeze; off on an adventure. Sudden rain and ominous grey clouds cause many to seek refuge and run…

The squeaky sounds of wet trainers against shiny polished floors grates upon the ears of many, however the price of safety is high, therefore they must bear the agony. Those without hoods also need not shower today and I find semi-wet ringlet-ing hair to be a strange look, if any. Runoff water from roofs cause heavy droplets to sluggishly attack the leaves of a nearby bush; many ignorant to its plight.

Lauren Suddes

 

 

Coming from the Library

A woman stands and walks away from the wall she was sitting on, her head held low, eyes trained on the ground, unkempt hair wafting in the wind. Deep in her thoughts, she scarcely notices the fall of the ash from her cigarette, held tightly between her fingers.

There’s a flurry of chatter from a group of birds as they fly overhead, casting their shadow across the woman’s face, then down her body and across the ground, in one fluid motion.

The wind shakes the leaves from their branches, their curling brown edges crisping as they fall and reach the ground.

A group of five trudge along the path, crunching the leaves under their feet as they step. Busy in their conversation, a neon sign catches their attention: Poster and Art Sale – Today Only. They makes plan to call there later today and carry on walking.

The rumble of an aeroplane’s engine echoes throughout the peaceful campus, as the sun decides to hide behind the clouds, casting a grey sleeve over the bright, autumn day.

Charlotte Simpson

 

 

THE LONG FRIDAY

 

The long Friday draws to a close as the benches empty and people rush to return to their halls. The trees whirl as the autumn wind begins to pick up, only making the students, plus one creative writing tutor holding a briefcase, more eager to reach their destination.

 

The surrounding buildings create a jungle of brick and glass, making the foreign surroundings almost familiar somehow. The library, the business building, the Hub. New names for places that already come across before our arrival.

 

Two girls walk past holding a basket of dirty clothes heading towards the Student union bar, talking about their inability to clean without the help of their mums. The next hour will certainly come as a shock to them.

 

More people start to fill the path; a group of boys pass my new sitting place, crossing either side, creating a sandwich of strangers, completely ignoring each other. Almost ignoring each other.

 

Just in front of the library a boy stands leaning over a bin while writing down unknown words in a notebook before picking up his phone and calling someone. The trees leaning in to listen, I walk closer to note the colour of the book. It was white.

 

 

Bethany Phillips

 

 

Mass Observation

 

First notes

A boy in blue jeans and green hoodie leans against a silvery grey pillar with a phone to his ear. He looks around seekingly and holds a cup of coffee in one hand and a small white plastic bag in the other.

A girl in a dark green coat carries a bright yellow bag on her shoulder while texting away on her phone.

A man with a beard outlining his mouth smokes his cigarette while looking around absently.

A man in a grey track suit with a cigarette in his hand is pressing away violently at keys on his phone, a look of anger in his eye.

 

My editing and creativity

I look to my left and there I see a girl sat next to me in the same position I am sat. She looks at me as I look at her. She also looks where ever I look.

I turn to look forwards and there I see a man in a bright blue track suit, leaning against a pillar while smoking a cigarette and looking around absently; acting as though he cannot see me even as he looks directly at me. The girl beside me looks and sees him too. I can see that she sees him through the corner of my eye. She spots me looking at her through the corner of her eye. Looking forwards, I also see a boy in a bright green hoodie walking towards me while he’s on his phone. I spy a girl with a bright yellow bag on her shoulder whom is talking on the phone while heading towards me behind the green hooded boy.

I turn to look to my right and there I see the man in the blue track suit still smoking his cigarette, though he is not facing me front on as I saw him when I looked forwards. He is turned to the side, yet still looks around absently. Now I can see that the stripes in his track suit are grey and the pillar he is leaning against is silver. I wait and watch.

I see the boy in the bright green hoodie walking along with his phone in hand like I saw him before, now heading towards me at a different angle and in a different direction. As he vanishes behind the silver pillar the man with the blue track suit is leaning against, he appears moments later and I realise he had pastel blue jeans on and that his skin is very pale white. I notice more colour from him as he passes the pillar that stands beside the glass building I lean against. Now instead of walking towards me, the boy in the bright green hoodie and pastel blue leggings walks away from me, besides the building opposite me from which I saw him coming.

Seeing the girl with the bright yellow hand bag getting closer towards me from front on as I look forwards, I turn my head back to the right to watch the girl pass the silver pillar; seeing if she will now be walking away from me too. She passes the pillar, only twists to her left to turn and enter the door that is to my left too. As she walks towards me to pass me and get to the door, I notice there are two other girls to her left and right who copies her every steps and movements until she enters the building. These other copies of the girl do look just like her, only they lack in colour to which the girl in the middle has. Where the girl in the middle could be seen wearing a dark green coat, the other two had their coats tinted a dark shade.

As the girl enters the building, I am left facing the copy of myself. I notice that my copy too appears besides me to my left, one in front of me, though far away, and right one copy of me right behind me as I turn around to lock eyes with myself in the glass building window I lean against. Turning back to my right, there is no copy of myself. Only nature that seems unique and all different with no copies shadowing in glass that I can see. Though my sign does fall to two far away trees that are side by side and each have V-shaped trunks.

Marie Parkin

 

 TWILIGHT MOMENTS

There is a small child playing in reception while her mother chats to a friend.  When I glance back at her ten minutes later she is swinging herself round a supporting pillar and her mother isn’t watching her at all. I watch as she loses her grip and she falls to the ground. Her mother rushes over to her instantly and makes sure that she’s okay.

All around me things are happening, there are people messing about on the running track, people arguing, people holding hands while they run past trying to escape the cold. I notice a man go into the Sporting Edge building and he reappears a few moments later with an instructor and I can’t help but smile as the automatic doors get stuck half way open.

I notice a group of girls walking past me, all in sync with each other, just walking in a perfectly formed clump. Just behind them are another group, but this time I notice the Goosebumps on their arms and how they were shivering slightly.  It is almost pitch black around me and absolutely freezing so it makes sense when people start rushing past me, moving a lot faster than they were before. Everyone hurries past, barely noticing me…busy with their own lives.

Jackie Goldston

 

Friday – 26^th September 2014 – “Cold”

 The morning is cold. Light wind moves through the open campus. An assortment of people exit their respective buildings, bleary-eyed and dishevelled. Many pull up their hoods against the light rain fall. One man pulls the zip of his jacket to his chin and places his hands firmly into his pockets.  The halls are cool and empty. The rustle of curtains the only sign of the occupants inside.

 A pair of boxer shorts lay discarded in a pitch of grass in the courtyard, coated in fine early morning dew. They remain unnoticed as more and more people shuffle out of their buildings, each following different tangents, heading to meetings or lectures. They share the same expression of ill-ease and fatigue. The boxer shorts move lightly as the wind picks up briefly. The courtyard is empty again.

 A large building stands dormant at the face of the campus. The red bricks dampened by light rain. An expanse of grass trims the exterior. The entry way holds a succession of once neatly cropped bushes, the contours of each differing minutely from its neighbours. The building is framed by grey sky. The cloud bank stands firm, the tone shifts sporadically into hues of lighter and darker grey.

 A revolving door remains in motion. A steady procession of coat clad people walk with purpose towards the building. One man struggles to close an umbrella, moving towards the door with a sluggish gait. Bird calls are sung randomly and faintly through the movement of the wind. Thin rain is audible against the light rustling of large trees.

 A woman folds her arms close to her chest, she walks at speed, the footsteps echo loudly on the wet pavement. Her face is stern, bracing against the cold. After a few moments the procession stops. The courtyard is empty. The birds sing louder.

 

Tommy Stone

Mass Observation 2014: Dragonflies and Confucius on the Western Campus of Edge Hill University

WESTERN CAMPUS

 

Rain is the focal point to anything within the area as it surrounds the entire campus. Rain pounds against the misting windows, obstructing the view of feasting and chattering students. Except, there is no sound. It is an odd feeling being able to watch people live their lives ad not be able to interact with them fully. The sky begins to grow darker as the clouds start swirling, forming sinister shapes which circle the campus. 

 

The waterfall offers a more picturesque setting. Settling, calming, a point of reflection. From here, students can be seen clammering from building to building; I assume they're trying to escape the rain or at least find some warmth. 

 

Students sporting various outdoor wear, whether it be simple zip up hoodies or the large storm proof coats, make their way to their various destinations. There is a short burst of energy within the area as students appear in one moment but are gone in the next. 

 

However one student in particular catches my attention, as she stands close to the water's edge. She stands there for a brief moment, hands in pockets, hood covering what is clearly a mane of mass blonde hair; she seems to appreciate this type of weather and the bleak beauty it offers. 

 

But this beauty is often broken, by the infernal quaking of the nearby ducks. 

Elisabeth Hatton

 

 

‘Meeting friends’

The sun is breaking through the clouds, blinding me, forcing me to look down. The bicycle racks gleam as the sun reflects upon the remaining beads of rain that cling to them.

A smiling teacher acknowledges me as she trails a group of young children, clad in identical red and green uniforms. Two by two they walk. Some lift up their little heads, squinting in the sunlight, taking in the fascinating and unusual mishmash of architecture around them. Others exchange excitable conversation with their allocated partners.

I continue towards the older building, somewhat resembling a large manor house, with its grand entrance and red brickwork.  I navigate around the endless corridors, the floor groaning beneath my feet. It is eerily quiet here; the odd student passes by, stops to consider the large notice board and go on their way. I too continue down the corridors.

The wood and brick comes to an abrupt end as the hub appears over the horizon; an open plan building, bustling with people. A million different languages and accents merge into one lively buzz of sound. The smell of coffee drifts from one end of the room whilst I am hit with the aroma of food from the other. Yellow signs boasting a ‘poster sale’ in bold lettering are dotted around as students point at them excitedly and rush up the large staircase; the centrepiece of the building. I glance over to the abundance of white tables arranged around the right side a coffee bar. Most tables are occupied by anonymous people conversing between sips of their frappuccinos. However something catches my eye, several familiar faces clustered around one of the tables. One a guy with an incredible shock of mahogany hair; another with slight stubble, wearing his ubiquitous plaid shirt; a girl with blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail; and the last with wavy hair around her shoulders and a kind face. They grin and wave enthusiastically, calling my name; I walk over and take my seat next to them.

Vicky Loftus

 

 

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

Through the towering fresh buildings of home, Beauty sways back and forth infornt of the impenetrable glass door. Her short dress is crumpled and dirty form the party, doing nothing to protect her from the relentless rain. More people walk by, cheering and laughing about ‘The Best Night Ever’ as they stagger along the lakeside. Beauty swivels to cheer back and wave with a cheshire cat grin to the crowd.  Her sopping hair and painted smile didn’t stop her excited shine as she agrees to ‘TBNE’.

No one is close enough to notice the dark rings, red rimmed eyes that speak differantly. Her charming smile doesn’t reach them. As the door finally opens for her shaking hand, and the audience dissapears from sight. Her expression drops to one of solemn thought as she dissapears through the impenetrable glass door.     

 

Imogen Rowe

 

 

FRIDAY 16.13 pm

 His nose, a bulbous mass, ran a clear trail of mucus which he wiped away with the back of his hand. The boy's eyes darted about the immediate perimeter before he continued to walk, both snotted hand and clean hand tucked and concealed into his dark grey fleece pockets.

 Jasmine Gray

 

 

DRAGONFLIES AND CONFUCIUS

 The dragonfly doesn’t seem to have any destination at all, it keeps flying forth and back and in circles over the meadow next to the pond, into the shades of the trees, then high up into the sunlight that is too bright for my eyes. Being blinded for a few moments I notice the sounds around me; someone is hoovering in the Geo sciences building, someone else is producing a hammering noise somewhere, but before I can identify what it is or where it comes from it gets drowned out by the rushing of the wind in the leaves that are already changing their colours. It’s almost autumn, the wind is getting colder and although the sky is perfectly blue right now the floor is still a bit wet from the rain earlier; a young woman walking past me is wearing wet shoes. She walks a bit strangely, maybe it’s because of the shoes, or has something to do with the big plaster on her right shin. (Or just with her very tight skirt).

 Making my way around just as aimlessly as the dragonfly, I watch young people; one of them is carrying a shopping bag from Morrison’s with half a cucumber sticking out of its side, and her high heels produce an eager-sounding tic-toc-tic-toc on the small wooden bridge. As I follow her I spot a cigarette right in the middle of the waterfall the bridge is leading over – how did it get there? Unless someone is feeling really ambitious it will probably sit in its spot for quite a while, since it is protected from the rushing water by a stone.

I keep walking, but there isn’t much going on in the Confucius building, just some invisible human coughing and a Starbucks coffee cup sitting on a table, left behind by its owner. A lot more interesting is the flock of seagulls suddenly taking up into the sky from somewhere behind the pond, their cries disturbing the peacefulness of this lazy Friday afternoon, flying in large circles over the water and the surrounding university buildings, making it look like there’s some important business going on here. These birds are definitely more occupied than anyone else around; especially more than those two guys with their small red vehicles with even smaller trailers over there, looking like they might have to collect leaves, but in fact just standing around watching ducks, until after a while, without any obvious occurrence that could have changed their minds, they get on their tiny tractors and drive off. From the direction they are headed towards a woman with orange hair is coming my way now – her hair is exactly the same colour as the “#GETCONNECTED” label on her university bag and also the same as the bright sign she is now walking past, saying “TODAY ONLY! Sales in The Hub!”. Observing those similarities I notice two men in suits overtaking the woman, because one of them is speaking on a phone that is orange as well – what is it with that colour?! Well, it looks a bit like autumn, I suppose. He says he’ll be home at four. And so I decide to end my dragonfly-like wander and go home as well.

Liz Nothof

Mass Observation 2014: The Track, the Seeing and the Phone

FROM TRACK TO LEAF

The track is empty and serene; apart from the occasional light and temperate autumnal breeze, which forces crisp brown leaf carcasses to  tumble erratically, from the maroon track onto the recently cut grass.

Birds fly overhead casting fleeting shadows contrasting to the bright sunlight; beating down onto the track.

A cleaner ambles tiredly past whilst tediously pushing a trolley, packed as if playing a game of Tetris, full of a melange of cleaning products.

Giggling girls waddle past balancing full laundry baskets on their hips at awkward angles; their faces indicative of a first time experience.

Two skateboarders share a momentous moment realising that they are a mirror image of one another, mounting the vehicle in the same fashion. They cheer and share a ‘high-five’ in passing.      It is obvious that once they had parted, each in turn has forgotten the other and does not look back.

A boy dressed darkly from head to toe trundles across the encompassing grass, creating momentary foot prints.

Two distinct boys: a short haired blonde whom was tall; the other shorter with tight dark curly hair, amble casually in close proxemics.                                                                                                                  The shorter interrogative of the taller, gesticulating excitedly; probing for gossip and being held in suspense.

Another leaf is harshly reallocated as the track returns to its peaceful, calming state.

Jasmine Byer

 

OBSERVATION

 

A girl turns her head at the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves on the trees behind her. She looks down towards her feet as a young man, wearing a high-visibility jacket, walks past her holding an opened tin of paint.

 

Two men, now wet from the rain, attempt to shield their cigarettes, the smoke being blown behind them, causing the three girls as they pass by to cough and wince.

 

The Athletics track is damp and glistening from the rain. Four birds sit in the centre of the large patch of grass within the track, periodically shaking their wings and jittering.

 

The flared ends of a woman's jeans are darkened and damp from walking through puddles of rain. She adjusts here belt to ensure no more of her trousers become wet. A boy points out the condition of her jeans to his friends as they walk past, and they snigger; a cold wind causes two of the boys to place their hands in the pockets of their shorts.

 

A girl yawns twice, rubs her eyes and takes a small sip of her energy drink, she purses her lips due to its sweetness and laughs about this with her friends who are both writing on separate, small pads of lined paper.

 

A couple begin to sit down on a stone slab beside the water, before rising up quickly and laughing, once realising the stone is both cold and wet. They quickly run to the shelter of the front door of the Creative Edge building as the rain begins to fall harder. They place their bags on the floor and jokingly hug each other for warmth. At the same time, above, a blind is raised up from a window on the second floor of an accommodation building, the light shines through onto the furniture and the occupant, who seems to have become accustomed to the dark, leans back and covers his eyes to guard them.

 

A girl walks through the car park, avoiding a man on a bike cycling past. They almost collide; she turns around angrily after he passes and seems shocked. She continues walking until stopping beside a white car, then answers a call on her mobile.

 

Patrick Gleeson

 

 

SHORT HUNDREDS

 

The sound of hundreds of different conversations, fill the air to create a heavily disorientated noise. I see people eating their lunch whilst socialising with their peers. The sun shines through the glass, illuminating a select few sat at their tables, presenting the true natural colour of their skin tone. There are endless amounts of unfamiliar faces, that create a sense of social isolation. The sun begins to shine through more vibrantly, creating a subtle reflection on the misty grey marble tiles. The disorientated noise now begins to increase, as the room becomes overpopulated. 

 

Thomas Lyon

 

 

WHAT DO I SEE?

 

What do I see? Well considering the location I am sat in can all be viewed from my flat kitchen, I can see everything from Creative edge to the end of the track and field. I can see to the very end of the river going from the begging of the sports arena, all the way to the end of the Chancellors court building. With the sun shining off the river from start to finish it really is an amazing view to witness every morning.

Students walking back from the main hub carrying bags full to the brim with alcohol for fresher’s week, and then students that are not drinking carrying bags of food and films for a relaxed evening in with their flat. There are birds flying overhead above the entire campus and area adding to the already spectacular scenery, the rocks around the river in formations you would only expect to see around a five star hotels pool area, but across the entire river giving a jaw dropping piece of craftsmanship throughout the area.

Outside my window beyond the pile of foliage and small brushes, a student sits on the ledge above the river with his legs dangling just above the water, with a cigarette in his left hand gazing into the other flats it really does bring me to wonder what must be going on in his head, if he is worrying about his first week, or if he is just simply bored out of his skull awaiting something to happen.

Looking across the water at the other flats during the day seeing people go about their daily live is indeed a bit strange, but what is strange is when the sun goes down and the lights come on looking at all three floors to the flat across the river is like looking into a doll house, all three floors doing their own things decorated differently with different people on each floor, it gets really creepy to stare at after a while knowing they are looking at my flat and thinking the exact same maybe.

I can see people running along the sports track even if they are students or just people looking to get some exercise in I admire it due to how long the track is, and with the eyes of all the students and visitors on you while doing so must be pretty annoying, but it still is fascinating to watch for some odd reason. Students walking passed on the phone to their parents and relatives, the sudden realization of that they are at university and the sudden homesickness settling in, gives me peace of mind in all fairness of knowing that I am not the only one missing home, but to see dozens of people all having the same conversation with their loved ones just reworded is comforting in some way.

Watching the gardeners cut the grass along the lines of the running track and cutting the trees and hedges along the row of flats, knowing they are just counting down the minutes until the can go home. Cleaners throughout all the flat windows tidying up peoples kitchens after they have all had a night out, beer cans and vodka bottles led on their counters it must get pretty mind numbing to clean to the same stuff everyday of fresher’s week.

There is so much more to write about what I see and even the stuff that I don’t see, so much stuff is going on all at the same time it gets hard to keep watch, and when you think you have seen it all something else will just crop up. Then there is just me, sat with my laptop writing all this down but that is pretty much it, with the sun begging to go down and the amazing glare across the river shining into the windows this truly is a spectacular view to wake up to every day.

I was assigned to document what I see from the track and field, Creative Edge and around the area leading up to the hub, but considering my flat window can see it all I decided to document it from here.

By Jake Simpson

 

OUTSIDE

Outside, the sky is clogged with grey clouds. A sharp breeze sends leaves scuttling sideways, rattling across the paved stones. Two girls pass, and one's laugh ends in a dog-like howl. Then a flutter, a flurry of black and white feathers; a magpie breaks loose of a tree and vanishes in a flash.

Rain begins to patter onto the pavement. It leaves a shiny surface on the ground like a coat of wet varnish. The winds hums long and low in my ear. People scatter for the buildings, or else cling to umbrellas and small shelters, but a crowd of white birds gather and hover, ghost-like, in the middle of the running track. A girl slumps, her head down, her entirely grey clothing like the weather personified.

A pigeon seeks refuge under a ledge. Its beady orange eyes fix on me as I pass, its head twisting to follow. A couple of boys hurry along, half hidden beneath their black umbrella. The rain slows to a steady dripping. Then one by one, people emerge from hiding spots, glance at the sky, withdraw from beneath their umbrellas. The air, made fresh by the sudden rainfall, is polluted by the stench of a stale cigarette.

A stab of sunlight permeates the thick cloud. Blue sky bleeds out. The air turns warm, and some embarrassed girls laugh and put away their now useless umbrellas. Unseen in the distance, a bird croaks, the sound at odds with the roaring drone of a plane overhead.

 

Heather Redhead

 

COMEDIC EFFECTS

 

The rain thankfully has stopped, leaving it's mark on the block paving which is a shade darker than when dry. The sounds of a circular saw slicing through wood in the workshop at the back of the Arts Centre presumably creating a new set for an upcoming performance. As I write the rain decides on an encore forcing me to run for shelter into the stylishly appointed art centre foyer. The surprisingly comfortable seating looks as though it is style over comfort, it's curved lines a contrast to the straight walls with exposed brickwork.

 

A group of young freshers are huddled together presumably avoiding the rain like myself. They are discussing plans as to where to go this evening. I make out some names; Gregg and Leanne and a mention of Preston. Perhaps that's where they're planning to go? Notably nothing academic is on the menu for discussion.

 

The rain has gone as quickly as it came so I step outside to catch some autumn sunshine. Smokers, who seem to have claimed in lieu of indoors all entrance and exits to a building unwittingly or carelessly move me on without a word. A mention must be made of the motorbike parked outside, the name changed for comedic effect, it's a Kwikasfucki!

 

Robert Edge

 

THE WIND, THE HOODIE AND THE PHONE

The wind is whistling lightly , blending with the whir of distant, unseen cars. There is a light shower of rain blowing straight towards me and my notepad, causing my writing to smudge and my glasses to smear. The air smells fresh and clean and I can't help but wonder what this place might be like in summer, when the area is full of people smiling and relaxing in the vast open area.

Next to me there is a girl in a maroon hoodie and thick, black boots sitting and scribbling away in a notepad, deep in concentration. Occasionally the odd person or group stroll past, looking as uncomfortable with the weather as I feel. They give me strange looks, probably because everywhere, including the bench where I am sat, is wet with rain and yet I am choosing to stay out in it. The seat of my trousers is damp with rainwater and is sticking uncomfortably to the back of my legs. I must say I am thankful for my jacket.

In the distance, past the empty (apart from the odd seagull) running track and temporarily discarded goal posts, I see fellow students milling through the car park, tiny due to how far away they are. I feel my phone buzzing frantically in my jean pocket, and for a moment I forget that I am actually meant to be somewhere. That is until I see the alarm notification on the screen and I suddenly realise that I have 2 minutes to leg it across the campus before I am late for another meeting...

Laura Murray