That time has arrived….the moment you’ve completed your last exam, all assignments are handed in, no more lectures or seminars, reflecting on your time at Cardiff Met.
Well….this time has arrived for me, and as much as I am excited to have finally accomplished it and achieved so much, there is that sad feeling I won’t be back next year. But there is always a new adventure just around the corner whether it’s getting a job, travelling or yet to be decided. Here is my reflection over the past 3 years at Cardiff Met.
Oh my goodness….what an amazing 3 years it has been! The laughter, fun, tears, stress, accomplishments are incredible when you think back and look at what you’ve achieved.
For me it all started with those all-important A-level results. The day came to pick them up, of course I was up at the crack of dawn with nerves and excitement…had I got the grades I needed, would I be offered my place at uni? The relief as I opened that brown envelope…I’d got it! Then the excitement of packing up the car, thinking what will I need, what’s best left at home, what will your room be like, who will you be living with? All these things passing through my mind – the crazy adventure of uni was about to begin.
I’ve arrived at halls, unpacked the car, done a big Tesco shop, cupboards are full and that emotional goodbye to parents is over! What next? Make friends, knock on my next door neighbour’s door, who lives upstairs? Start mingling and making friends because they’re in the same position as you. You’ll get on with some people and others not so much, but it will be the friends you make at uni that will make your experience one to remember. The crazy stories you look back on, just remind you of the memories you made during your time at uni.
You’ve been in uni for a few weeks now, settled in and made friends, but don’t think that’s the end of settling in…explore the city, see what else uni has to offer. Yes uni is all about working hard and getting a degree, but that’s not everything. Go out, have fun with your friends, have mini adventure! Being a student is all about having a balance and I definitely love the cheesy saying ‘work hard, play hard!’ summing up the perfect uni experience/adventure in my eyes.
Cardiff Met has so much to offer if you go looking for it. I only truly understood this in my final year after chatting to a girl on the bus, before I knew it I was online researching taking all the opportunities I could that would boost me into my next adventure after finishing uni.
Since that day when I met that girl on the bus I have achieved so much more than I ever expected to. I got a job working in the SU, I completed the Cardiff Met Award, which included workshops, presentations and work experience. I met so many more people, broadening my horizons and they have been some of the nicest people ever. It gave me the confidence to just go out there and get it, you don’t have to succeed at everything, just try it and if it doesn’t go to plan, it doesn’t matter! Uni isn’t just about getting the grade in my eyes, you develop communication skills by making friends, social skills going out, teaming to look out for friends. Uni is a life experience and my advice for anyone in their first, second, third year or even post grad, it’s not too late. The opportunities are still there, take them, and use them to your advantage.
Now uni is over for me, I’m feeling fresh and ready to explore my next adventure. I have friends that have been busy over the past few weeks prepping for interviews, going for grad schemes, however I’m planning on traveling. My experience has inspired me to be adventurous, push boundaries and try something new and that’s exactly what I intend to do!
By Freya Knibb