Fresh Meat: Charlotte Ritchie - in my student days I was as naive as Oregon
"I went to Freshers' Fair and signed up to everything, including Morris dancing. Then I had to get a new email address because I was so embarrassed"
Who do you play?
Oregon tries really hard. She's decided to reinvent herself so she's bought loads of cool clothes – or clothes that she thinks are cool – and dyed her hair. She's fashioned a new look for herself.
How did you compare?
I was as naive as Oregon. I remember having ideas in English that I considered highly original, only to get further into my degree and realise they were absolutely not – that they were the most hackneyed ideas out there.
Has Fresh Meat brought back memories?
The social awkwardness is probably the thing I relate to most. The characters trot out those classic lines we all did: "where did you go on your gap year?" "What A Levels did you do?" Whereas the only question anyone really wants to know the answer to is: "will you be my mate?"
Any other cringe-worthy moments?
I remember going to the Freshers' Fair and signing up to everything, including Morris dancing. Then I had to get a new email address because I was so embarrassed about being contacted by all these clubs and societies I had no desire to attend.
What’s your advice to this year’s freshers?
Not to try too hard too fast because I probably did. Don’t desperately cling onto people because a) you might cling onto the wrong people and b) these things happen really organically. You will find a good group of friends, I promise.
