The Last Goodbye…

If you had told me 6 years ago that I would be graduating this summer I don’t think I would have believed you. No one expected me to be graduating, because I never wanted to go to university. It had never interested me until someone told me what it was like to study History at university. It was not going to be like school where you had no choice of your topic and just had to remember dates, but it was a place where you could study theories and topics you enjoyed. You could experience history how you wanted. I never thought university was worth it, but then I realised I could study something I loved and am now going on to either further study by doing a Masters.

That is the one thing I would suggest above all else about university, is to study something you love and can imagine yourself spending too much time thinking about. University is hard, but if you love your topic you are more inclined to keep on going with the work when times get tough.

I applied to come to Leicester in October 2008 with a deferred entry. It was my first choice and I was thrilled I was accepted. During my gap year I did a media production foundation and though I loved the people there I could not wait to start at the University of Leicester to study History. Now, after three years studying here I know I made the right choice. The University of Leicester is a friendly place where I have always felt comfortable. I’ve made some really good friends and experienced university the way I wanted to. I would never call myself a typical university student in the sense that I’m less of a ‘clubber’ and more of a ‘pubber’, I prefer to do a pub quiz over going out dancing any time. It was this that made me worry about the social aspect of coming to university, but in Leicester I have found all types of people to do whatever we want!

I’ve loved Leicester because of the people I have found here as it’s so nice to find one person, or even a group of people to do weird and interesting things with. We’ve been to beer festivals, food festivals, the New Walk museum, bowling, mini golf and created weird hybrid games in our garden. We basically have tried to do weird and wonderful things in Leicester, which means there was rarely a time I felt bored. Even sitting at home on a saturday night watching Doctor Who is an event at university.

As well as making friends I also spent a lot of time on campus, in the library working or picking up books for the next assignment. In many ways the library is what sold the University of Leicester to me and I’ve spent another time there. Though there are times it is too hot, too full or that one book you need is out or missing, the library at the right times is the perfect place to sit during breaks in lectures or close to a deadline and make your head hurt with reading.

And now, the end is here, and so I write my final blog post…(if you got that reference, well done)… well I’d just like to say thank you to all the teachers and staff who have made my time at Leicester a lot more interesting and a bit easier. I should probably thank my parents too… THANKS. I’d also like to thank the student recruitment team who have allowed me to write this blog about whatever I feel like for the last two years. Not only have these blogs made me sit down and think about things that interest me and what I like (and don’t) about the University of Leicester but surprisingly they’ve made me some friends (bloggers unite!), thus proving that at university you can make friends any which way.

Lastly, I just want to remind you all, whatever stage you are in regards to university to make the most of it because it will go quickly.
I now pass you into the new History blogger’s hands, Jamie, who will no doubt ramble about History and Leicester as much as I have.