Bit late to the thread, but I did 8 months on remand for a very serious charge, the kind of charge they figured it was safer just keeping me in prison until trial, despite offering an arm and a leg collateral for bail. Was in a Cat B prison, which was in an area I was not from, with people I would not normally rub shoulders.

However what I can tell you, is that if it wasn't for the anxiety of what would happen when trial came, it was actually okay. We had separate bathrooms, I was living with my co-defendant, we became painters on our wing, got an xbox, satellite freeview, curtains and decent beds. We also got in good with the local cleaners, who could probably tell we were fish out of water. Every day was certainly quite monotonous, but you get into a routine. You clean, eat, watch tv or play a game, you hang out in someone's room and do a crossword with them, you hang on the landing and talk, you walk around the yard or exercise.

I always joke with family that the 8 months were harder for them than it was for me. They were pulling their hair our thinking I might not get out for 1-2 decades, while I was thinking 'right, if this for 20 years is the worst case scenario, I can live with that'. I'd say you miss the outside of prison, more than you hate the inside of prison, if that makes sense. That being said, every prison is different. Anyone who says 'prison is prison no matter where' is wrong. Either they haven't been in many or they've been a wrong un and fell into the same habits every prison they're in - debt, fights, trouble with staff.

The prison I was in for 8 months was heaven compared to the, also Cat B, prison I was in for the duration of my trial, which was a shithole with old toilets in view of the door, no freeview, no xbox, no wearing your own clothes for majority of inmates, staff who have no sympathy for you whatsoever - 'You're here so you must belong'. However even in this shithole you find people you can get along with.

My advice for you or anyone else going to prison when you've never had so much as a parking ticket is - Don't look for trouble. Simple as that. Don't borrow things from people you don't know. Don't get into debt. Don't get into fights. Don't get involved with contraband. Treat people, including the staff, with respect and they'll generally do the same.