Three Years

Today was my last assignment hand in of university ever and I have officially finished my three year degree today, it honestly doesn't seem real.

These past three years have been the best and the worst times of my life, with a beginning struggle to settle in a house and then finding the best friends on my course, it's not been a smooth ride.

But when is this kind of thing ever smooth? I can truly say that some of the people I have met at university will be my best friends for life and I can't believe we won't be all together again.

I've been through so much while at university, I've had that big first love with a 2 year roller coaster long distance relationship that has some of the best moments of my life. I've had friend ups and downs, ups and downs with my grades and ups and downs with myself but you know what I wouldn't change any of it for the world. 

University will change you so much, and I think now everyone's beginning to finish uni they're looking back to the little nervous person they were in the first year, trying to make friends. You will start to find out what you're really like, you break out of the bubble of your little town and your friends will show you what you want and don't want to be like. Some friends during university have done this for me and I'd like to hope I've helped to change a few people too.

They'll change you and your life forever, it's the first time you move away from home and you become an adult pretty fast, I didn't know how to use a washing machine when I came to uni much to the shock of my housemates!

I know a lot of people who are going to uni next year are nervous, they don't know whether it's going to worth the huge debt and they're worried the uni they've picked isn't the perfect one. Make of uni what you can, don't stress or worry about an assignment that needs to be in desperately in the first year. Don't worry if you've got a horrible teacher for something, it's more fun that way!

If I could say anything about uni, just go out there and talk to people, everyone wants to make friends in the first year so grab that opportunity, go get drunk and dance on the tables! This is your three years to remember for those funny, amazing, dramatic nights so if someone asks you to go out, don't say 'no sorry I've got an early lecture tomorrow', say 'yeah, I'll just be hungover tomorrow!' because believe me the ability to get over a hangover in one short morning will go by the third year!! 

I know a lot of people get scared, so they hold onto home too much, Skype and calls to your best friends to swap freshers stories is brilliant, but don't let it cut you off from your new friends. Honestly, the catch ups with your home friends at the end of each term are the funniest/most dramatic/shocking catch ups you'll have, within a few months so much will have happened and you'll spend hours telling your funny stories so don't worry, they'll still be there for you when you're home!

My only tips would be, just don't worry too much about it, yes go to the library once in a while but just don't stress, especially in the first year, you're just getting used to it!

Also personally I would say get a job, not just for the money but it has been a lifesaver in so many ways. I've met some gorgeous people while working and you will never realise how incredibly nice it is to talk to someone about a problem and they don't know who anyone is! You can get away from the stress of your house/boy troubles/course troubles and just forget from the hours of 9-5 (you could of course work in a club, but make sure you wake up by 12 the next day otherwise you'll wake up when X Factor starts and you haven't seen daylight like my housemate!!)

I wish I knew how little I needed to stress about first year, if you've got troubles in your house find another way to make friends, I found the old course mates and I'm so glad I did!

Everyone's experiences will be different but it'll be YOUR three years and no one elses. Take tons of pictures because you'll look back on it when you're working I'm sure! Here are some of my favourite pictures from university, lets go on a trip down memory lane shall we?

{I started uni being friends with these girls, I think you can see already I didn't quite fit in}

{So I found these gorgeous boys instead! Andy and James were my first and are my best friends on the course}

{First ever social, get some pens and draw over everyone!}

{And so our not so little group of course friends began!}

{Dressed as the Saturdays, not quite so sure!}

{My gorgeous home girlies - see I told you they'd still be there for you!}

{Paris with James, yes you can still do nice things at uni!}

{Drinking games have to become your friend!}

{Second year social, just as much pen flying about}

{My second year housemates}

{All dressed up smart, this is a rare occasion at Bournemouth!}

{Yep I joined the girls rugby team in second year}

{Geek glasses will be one of your most treasured dress up items}

{I couldn't suggest going on a trip more, I met some amazing people on my ski trips!}

{Cambridge Uni Summer Ball, if you can go to a posh ball do it, they're pretty cool}

{My beautiful ski girls}

{If you have a Mac, Photobooth will be used a hell of a lot!}

{Anything but Clothes theme, yes you've gotta get thinking on some of these themes!}

{Make sure you don't take yourself too seriously}

{My third year house mates}

{Oh a little tip, if you're working late at uni, bring a kettle, mug and some coffee, it's cheaper and you shouldn't get into too much trouble late at night!}

{Dance like a loon, it's more fun that way}

{Natalie, my saviour at work along with Emily}

{Yes, smurf is also a common theme, bathroom takes a good scrub the next day though}

{Some of my lovely course mates}

I have a feeling this post is horrendously boring but hey ho, at least it was a nice trip down memory lane and hopefully anyone going to uni this year will see just how much fun you're in for! I still can't believe it's all over, I refuse to accept I'm an adult already!