As my undergraduate is slowly coming to an end, its hard not to be nostalgic thinking about the last 4 years. Especially with corona making it difficult to make exciting memories in my last year, it’s crazy to think about how fast the time has gone by. Thinking about the Lizzie who arrived in Dundee 4 years ago, compared to where Im at now, feels like so far away. And yet also feels like it was yesterday. It seems like ages ago, because I can see how much I have changed and grown, compared to who I was when I started. It seems like yesterday, because I remember it all so vividly.

However, being where I am today I just thought I’d share with you some of my fondest memories from uni. Not the memories themselves perhaps, but the reason for them.

1. Join at least one new society each year. This was one of my goals back in first year, and Im so happy I managed to do so. Why? Because its a way to insure you keep pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, which will help you understand yourself better. It can also be the chance to make friendships you’d other ways maybe never be exposed to, not to mention the experiences the society can provide in itself! Uni provides such an amazing opportunity to do this, with what feels like a society for literally any hobby or interests you might have.
2. Study abroad. Now I didn’t do a semester a year abroad, but since I went abroad for the entire undergraduate, I still feel like this is something I can recommend. Travelling is an amazing thing to do, and to do it for longer like one or two semesters is even greater. I suppose the reason for this aligns the one above: it gets you outside your comfort zone by putting you in situations and encounters with people you’d never have met otherwise. Not to mention all the fun you get to experience in the meantime!
3. Make the most of first year. Its no secret that as the workload gets heavier, it gets harder to have a much fun. The first year will without a doubt be your easiest year uni wise, so make sure to take fully advantage of that! Stop telling yourself ‘maybe next year’ and start doing it now instead! Take me as an example: if I had postponed anything to my last two years, a world pandemic made those things pretty impossible. So do it as soon as you get the chance.
4. Don’t say no when you really want to say yes. This also goes for the other way around. Just remember to be honest with yourself and listen to your feelings. You know yourself better than anyone, and don’t do something just because youre worried about what others might think: if you really want to say yes, go for it!

There’s something unique about the student experience. It gives you so many opportunities so easily, you barely have to make an effort to achieve them. Just make sure to get the most out of it and you’ll stand on your graduation day with a heart full of gratitude!