Sounds very familiar! When I was diagnosed it was all about "exchanges", 1 exchange = 10g carb (1 slice of bread, 1 apple etc), which was all fairly easy if rudimentary, as I was at school so fixed mealtimes etc. As soon as I left I quickly moved onto basal/bolus style (although it wasn't officially called that) and learned to adapt accordingly, altering my insulin dose according to what I ate. Which I still do, although rather more accurately in that I now weigh absolutely everything to the nearest gram. I find I have to do this as my insulin/carb ratio varies according to time of day, and I hate making mistakes.