Here are some of my lessons learnt from 4 years of University , in no particular order:

1. The love and support from family is something incredible. Feeling like there are people out there who will love you regardless of your grades and will be there for condolences on a bad exam as well as praise for an A+ helped me get through Uni with a clear head and a happy heart.

2. Mums are great at supplying caffeine and chats and reminding me to aim for the heavens.

3. I am not the smartest person and I don’t know everything.

4. Learning is a process that will take me a lifetime and will never finish. This is a good thing.

5. People are interesting and different and incredibly intelligent so make time to chat to strangers and get to know the person sitting next to you. Smile.

6. Tea is a life saver at busy exam periods.

7. Assessments are stressful and there is little that can change this.

8. Retaining a sense of perspective is the only way to keep moving through the really hard times. In the end this is just one aspect of life and there is so much more.

9. My time management skills will never improve and I will always leave things to the last minute. Things could be worse.

10. Having a partner in crime to get through Uni alongside you is amazing and makes the experience much more enjoyable. It also helps knowing someone else is just as stressed as you.

11. Don’t drink large amounts of caffeine prior to an exam/tests.

12. Biology is fun and interesting but beheading and dissecting termites…not so much.

13. Don’t forget to laugh. Alone, with friends, on the phone…let it out and enjoy the funny moments in life.

14. Never leave home with out lip balm and a nail file.

15. Not everything is going to go my way and in the end I have to accept that the future isn’t mine to command and requires some flexibility.

16. Kitty cuddles can make a terrible day better again.

17. I don’t have to be perfect in everything I do. Mistakes are part of how we grow and mature (I must be incredibly mature for my age…) and there is no point beating yourself up about them.

18. Chocolate is great as an emotional study aid but eating healthy keeps the mind and body in its best form.

19. I am stronger now than 4 years ago and I know myself better than anyone else who tries put me down or judge me.

20. Last up Uni has shown me where I want to end up in 10 years time, as a clinical psychologist working with children and living a healthy life full of love and happiness. This might not happen straight away but having some sense of direction for the future is a reassuring thing.

See you all soon with a part 2 post about what’s happening now Uni is over.

Xx

P.s. this is not an exhaustive list, merely my tired minds ramblings on a VERY hot day