Yesterday, I officially moved out of what I like to call my home. My university flat. Although I've only lived there since September, I've created a lot of memories there that will stay with me for the rest of my life. There's nothing like being a fresher and although I heard the saying 'university will bring you the best time of your life' many times, I never actually believed it.
But it did. Walking out of my flat for the last time brought back so many wonderful memories that me and my now friends for life have shared over this past year and I ended up shedding a tear. It's not the end of my university journey - far from it - but it is the end of freshers. I never quite thought that I'd enjoy university as much as I have done. Yes, the education and the course is very important as after all, that's what you're there for but the change in life and the people that you meet is what makes university the best experience. It's completely different from home life. For the first time in your life, you're living on your own. You're away from your parents and you're free to do pretty much whatever you want to do. If you want to stay up until 7am chatting away in the living room with your friends, you can do. If you fancy going to Sainsbury's at 3am to get more alcohol then you can do it. It brings individuality and it allows you to grow up.
I'm not saying that university hasn't been hard. It has. The course is hard. It's quite a big step up from a-levels and school as you're no longer relying on your teachers but instead, you're relying on yourself. You have to do a lot of self directed learning and teach yourself quite a bit (which I found especially during exam times). You don't get to hand in hundreds of drafts and lots of times to correct your work - you just have to go for it. But the end result, the day you get your result and you see that you have done well, is all worth it.
This is a very random post I know but university has become a big part of my life and I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you have the chance to go. Go. Not just for the education or for the degree but for the life experience that you're getting out of it. The people that you're going to meet. You spend literally every waking moment with those people around you and quickly they become your not only your flat mates/your friends but your best friends and your family.
xxx