What has developed me; the fact university is not without its ups and downs. The amount of times I have laughed until my stomach hurt, danced until I could not feel my feet, stayed out into stupid o'clock on night outs with my friends are also accompanied by the exam stress, a mountain of coursework and the many breakdowns I experienced whilst at university.
With hindsight I can reflect on this as see that this change in me has happened with each differing year at university, all shaping me into who I am today.
I once believed that university would be all fun and games, and for the most part of first year was but when you bring into the realisation that you want to do well, that you have to put the work in for this to happen and going out 4 times a week is not real life, then I think you have hit your second year at university.
So if you are looking into uni, or are currently at university and want to know what could be to come here is my experience on how university changes each year and the good and bad of each one (bear in mind this is my personal experience - everyone's uni experience will be different):
First Year:
- excitement, freedom - I can do what I want when I want
- learning to cook and look after myself (I ate cereal for majority of first year - please learn to cook before I did, maybe learn a few key meals prior to uni)
- doing my own washing (secret - the first wash I did was without washing powder as I seriously could not work out where to put it!)
- making lots of friends and meeting such a variety of people - the best part of going to university
- going out lots - many a drunken night
- spending more time having fun and enjoying myself then doing uni work
- sleeping when I wanted - day or night (mostly all day!)
Second Year:
- slow realisation that many of my friends made in first year were circumstantial friends - people to go out with but not friends for life
- 30 bits of coursework - I had to work my arse off
- learning to appreciate spare time - you need to go out, go on walks, have fun with friends, you don't know how simple a movie night is with your friends
- looking after yourself and your wellbeing is key (I know as I did not do it - please please don't follow in my footsteps)
- 6 exams in a row - the hardest thing in the world
- house mate dramas - lots of arguments and shouting
Placement Year:
(I was very lucky to do my placement at my university)
- saying goodbye to many of my friends who went on placement at home or away from the university
- learning about the world of work - meeting many new people, having many experiences which I will forever be grateful off
- supporting my friends who were in their third years - yes I read a dissertation out loud for 4 hours and read about 4 others!
- moving into a house with two girls I didn't know (and two I did!) - realising that you third year is never too late to make a friend for life
- unfortunately living in a house with the creakiest floor boards which created many sleepless nights, living on top of each other and arguments
- clashing personalities with housemates
- realising that I could stand up for myself - despite living with people it does not mean you cant be true to who you are
- a very emotional ending (majority of my friends graduated)
Fourth Year:
- returning to a place which was home - without the home feeling - all my friends had graduated and it did not quite feel the same
- meeting more friends - some of which I class as friends for life
- dissertation, stress, more stress, more stress
- the realisation that 4th year counts for 70% of my overall degree
- setting up a society
- getting involved with a lot of projects and jobs - which I wish I had done earlier on at university
- supporting each other through the good and bad of final year
- realising that university is over - what I have being working for for 4 years is done, I am graduating and this is the end of an era
Now that is my four years, which are sadly now over... no longer in the university bubble... welcome to graduate life.
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