Short Piece about The Thing Is - Lancaster University Magazine (January 2019)

Andrew Carter (Criminology & Sociology, 2009,) has recently had a book published entitled 'The Thing Is', a humorous memoir featuring tales from various stages of his life including the three wonderful years he spent at Lancaster.

'With hindsight, I think there is a strong chance that I was an idiot when I started at Lancaster. I wore too much hair wax, thought it was cool to wear my jeans below my bum, and had legitimately started using the word "sick" to mean good. However, over those three years, I met some brilliant people, had some great experiences and, without wishing to sound cheesy, feel certain that my time at Lancaster made me a better person. 

The Thing Is details my time at Lancaster from the point when I attempted a heartfelt farewell with my dad outside Lonsdale bar and he replied, "Give over, Andrew!” right through to graduation having met Louise, my now-wife, in a seminar in the George Fox building one Wednesday morning. 

There are stories from the prestigious life of the C-team footballer, including escapades in Liquid, the Carleton and Sugarhouse, along with hopefully more touching moments about trying to fit in and forming lasting friendships and relationships. 

In addition to my student days, The Thing Is also chronicles my childhood and teenage years in Leeds, including my time as guitarist in a (not very good at all) punk rock band and cutting my teeth in the world of work through a range of colourful, often terrible, jobs. In the second half of the book, there are more exotic locations with backpacking adventures in South East Asia, Australia, and South America, as well as a three-year stint as a TEFL teacher / real life avoider in China and Hong Kong. 

I thoroughly enjoyed writing The Thing Is, especially re-living my time at Lancaster, and I hope that students past and present will find it amusing and relatable.'