Question for obs

[Sallz]

I left ch in July and since starting uni am really missing it. How long did it take for everyone else to get over withdrawl symptoms (if any..)?

[Mid A 15]

I left ch in July and since starting uni am really missing it. How long did it take for everyone else to get over withdrawl symptoms (if any..)?

It felt strange starting in a new institution and realising that I really HAD left CH. The summer holidays had felt like - the summer holidays other than getting a holiday job which I hadn't really done, apart from the odd day labouring for a friend, up until then.

I did go back to CH a few times in that first year after leaving as I had friends still there. I used to play a lot of sport though and quickly built up a new social network through the various sports clubs I had joined.

I also lived within easy travelling distance of one of my closest friends from CH and we continued (and still do but not as often) to see each other after we both left.

I guess all those factors helped me get through it. To try and answer you directly I probably got over it once all my close friends had left so about a year.

[gma]

Whlst not wishing to display undue levity on this serious thread - once you've got over
leaving it can sometimes take 30 odd years before you want to go back! (But you'll
never lose the pride you have in having been there at all - good luck at Uni )

[CHAZ]

You have jumped straight into uni without a year off, I see.

Of course you get over it as your new life takes over and you discover freedom. There is always an initial yearning not to let go, after all you have spent 5,6 or maybe seven years of your life there. But once you've done the New Year's Eve thing in Trafalgar Square, survived 1st year exams, CH takes on a new meaning and here you feel proud to have been there and left all the more richer (in character!). It really is more than an education and you will discover this as new chapters in your life unfold.

There was a thread similar to this somewhere on the CH related topics and you may find more input there. I can't remember its title though.

[marty]

I left CH 12 years ago. I still (occasionally) have the odd dream that I'm back there which is a bit weird. I suppose it's natural seeing as I lived there for 7 years and the majority of my friends are OBs, even after all this time. I don't miss the crap food, getting up early, lessons, prep or the itchy, impractical uniform. What I do miss is the total lack of responsibility that goes with living in the real world i.e. not having to wash my own clothes, iron, cook, clean, pay bills etc.

[englishangel]

I am surprised you have time to miss school, though like Marty (though 36 years later in my case) I still have the odd weird dream. I think I have moved too far now to pine for the freedom of no bills etc. soon have the mortgage paid off.

[loringa]

In the September after leaving CH I walked into a red-brick institution designed by Aston Webb where I wore a strange itchy uniform, got up early, went to lessons, did prep, cleaned the accommodation, tried to avoid playing sport, went to the bar and marched everywhere - didn't miss CH a bit.

The food was better though!

[Great Plum]

It's strange... I missed the place terribly at the time (my wife still thinks I talk about it too much) Many of my friends are OBs...

However, I jumped into uni life at Exeter and had a great time there... I miss both uni and school these days - it was good to be able to see a friend without things like work getting in the way!

[blondie95]

I did miss it and spent a lot of my first year at uni despertaly keepingi in touch with my old ch friends-which was difficult as by best friend was in Hong Kong! But i also made some incredible friends at uni which helped you also soon realise or at least i did that its part of your life and you have to move onto the next otherwise uni will go past like a shot and you may not fully enjoy it!

Although my parents live at the school i didnt go back to the school-when i went home i stayed firmly outside the ring fence and only went to bax night the following year beacuase a very good friend was leaving. For my years at uni at least i vry much stayed away from ob events and going back to the school-especially retreat and bax night-i like to hold the memory of my own last day true.