Plymouth University: Student Bucket List

University can be a very stressful time, me and my friends decided to give ourselves hope and something to look forward to. This was done by creating a Bucket List of things that we wanted to do before we left Plymouth. Due to uni work constraints and stress it is not always possible to do all the things you want to during term time. However, once exams were done, coursework handed in and dissertations complete - we were free, free to do all the things we wanted to (with a little bit of sadness due to the fact that we were leaving Plymouth and all these things would not be on our doorsteps any more).

Ensuring we gave ourselves some time to chill and enjoy Plymouth we came back and had what we termed "a week of fun" - which is a week I will forever remember. I really do urge you to do the same and have fun and a bit of closure with your uni town and university friends.

Our week of fun and things I have enjoyed doing in  my four years at Plymouth:

• chilling on the hoe with my friends, having a picnic, eating fish and chips and roasting marshmallows - as soon as the sun is out the hoe is the place to be 
• walking to the hoe and barbican in all kinds of weathers (it is Plymouth after all)
• listening to live music at the barbican 
• having a house sleepover 
• dancing to our hearts content in the cheese room in oceana
• visiting Penny Well farm (not Plymouth I know but was a highlight!) 
• nights in with my my amazing friends
• melting chocolate with rice crispies 
• dancing on cuba bar despite being a third year
• drinking wine at the hoe on rocks by the sea
• indian meals - Ghanges and Ghurka/ Curry Corner
• getting involved with many projects and university services
• going to the beach for the day and freezing to death in the sea, whilst almost killing ourselves climbing up and down what felt like a cliff edge 
• starting up the amazing Student Minds society 
• first year nights out in C1Os (+ the party bus)
• making up dances and playing just dance (your never to old!)
• going to the yearly fireworks 
• pre drinks and house parties
• managing to sleep with 3 people in a single bed 
• cutting down a tree in the garden all day with a rusty bread knife
• swimming in the lido until we turned blue 

I have had the best four years and seriously the good times have far outweighed my struggles. 

Goodbye My Lover, Goodbye My Friend

Plymouth, over and out.....

The car is packed, my room is empty, the house is probably cleaner than it was before we arrived. The door has been shut for the last time, my uni house no long belongs to me. Plymouth is no longer the place that I live - that is very hard to comprehend. The thought of leaving fills me with dread.

Its weird actually as all of my friends left Plymouth like a month ago, so I have said goodbye to one of my favourite parts about Plymouth. However admitting that this is the end now is hard. Classic Grace hanging on till the last minute, the longer I put it off then I wont have to actually leave and say goodbye right? WRONG!

Goodbye Plymouth, Goodbye University

At least I have the honour of coming back for my graduation in September - and I could not be more excited to have my family watch me graduate with a first class degree. Above that I can't wait to see my amazing university friends again. 

However, this isn't the end, I have had the best four years at Plymouth University, but this has only allowed me to have the future that is coming - time to move town, start a new job and develop even more as a person. 

Those Special People In Our Lives

Friendship: there are many necessary things in life, but I believe friendship to be one of the most valuable. They are the people who complete us - someone to talk to, spend time with, comfort us and most importantly laugh with. However, in life we all meet thousands of people and experience many friendships, some which last for a short amount of time, some that end badly, some in which you just gradually drift apart and some that last. The question I often ask myself is – how do I know when I have made a lifelong friend? And how can I distinguish between a friend and a really good friend?

After 22 years I still don’t feel any closer to answering these questions. Life is a funny thing and friendships are even more complex but essential to living a happy life. I am becoming aware that having a small close knit group of friends is a lot more meaningful than having lots of friends. Safe to say I have experienced my fair share of friendships, some good, some not so good, but you aren’t going to get on with everyone and sometimes I have had to learn the hard way: from playground fallouts, to bitchy girls and to people who simply don’t care enough!

I like to see the good in everyone and often make excuses for my ‘friends’ who often don’t live up to this label. I am fully aware that no one is perfect, people fall out, people make up, this is a normal part of friendship but when is enough enough? And how do you know when someone is truly your friend?

One thing I have learnt as a university student is people walk in and out of your life constantly, you meet new people everyday but often these people I would class as circumstantial friends. These are the people who you spend time with due to being on the same course, or who you live with in first year, those who you know through a friend, and people who join the same societies as you do. Arguably, you spend time with them because you have to, they are around when you are and vica versa. But outside of university you may not make an effort to keep in touch, not because either of you are bad people but because this is how life works.

As the end of final year approached there were far too many goodbyes with many questions floating around in my head: will we keep in touch? Who was a circumstantial friend? And who will be a true lifelong friend? 

However, I reassure you that it's normal to lose some friends after university, and throughout life you will lose even more circumstantial friends. Don't let this get you down or make you feel like it's your fault - it's a normal part of life. I often underestimate the extent to which we will all easily end up with different sets of people throughout life and it's normal to find and lose friends regularly.

Meanwhile, there is nothing better than having a few true friends that you will stay with throughout life, who will stay with you no matter what, despite the distance, despite life experiences. You will grow apart, whilst growing together. Staying in contact with people over a long distance is hard but it is possible and you can make it work.

I know this because I do know a couple of amazing people who I am blessed to have in my life and I hope they know who they are. Despite not being able to distinguish between who is and isn't a lifelong friend, what I do know is who makes me feel happy, loved and wanted. There are very few people in my life that I know can make me laugh no matter what, or who I can talk to about anything with no fear of judgement. Those who no matter how rubbish I can be at times they still understand and are still there.

This is dedicated to you, and you know who you are. I just wanted to write this public thank you and share how blessed I feel to have you special people in my life. And for those of you who are worrying about losing and maintaining friendships, this is a big part of life and you're not the only one who is often unsure where you stand. Just never forget that you are not alone and this is a normal part of life.

To have friendship is to have comfort. In times of trouble and depression, a friend is there to calm us and make us feel a little more ourselves. Lasting friendship is a blessing which I feel lucky to have.

Plymouth: My Special Place

Plymouth has been my home for four years now, from a wide eyed fresher to the graduate student I am today.

Shocked,  the end has finally come and I am full of feelings of uncertainty. So much change as I transition from a student to a graduate with a job (yes I managed to get a job!). Not only am I starting a new chapter in my life, I have to say goodbye to all that I know; the place that has been my home for the past four years, student life and unfortunately all my amazing university friends who have of course made my four years incredible.

Plymouth is a beautiful city with the hoe, barbican and city centre on our doorsteps we are spoilt for choice - making fun days out with my uni friends those that I will remember forever.

However, what I have to keep telling myself is that I am lucky to have had the best (yet the hardest four years of my life) time at university and no one can take these four years away from me. They have developed me into the person I am today. Plymouth is not going anywhere, yes I will not own a house here but I can always visit - anyone fancy it?

Mostly importantly the beautiful friendships I have created are to stay, despite being separated I will keep in contact with my closest friends and hope to arrange regular meet ups. Yes it wont be the same as being down the road from each other, but I know its possible, we can make it work (my best friend graduated last year and I still speak and see her all the time). If you want to keep in contact you will! 

So here is to the future and I cant wait to see what is in store for the future. Not only for myself but the amazing people I have met during my time at Plymouth University. 

Plymouth will always be a place that I call home and will forever have a place in my heart.