Work hard. Play harder.

I honestly can't believe my three years of University are nearly up. In less than two weeks I'll be handing over my dissertation and calling it a day. Please world, be nice to me. I've learnt a lot over the three years, not only about myself as a person, but what I want to achieve and the direction I want to take myself in later life. I still see myself as 16, barely out of high school, but I'm now 20 and starting my life for real, so it's time to put on my big girl pants and do this. This post is a little insight into my time at University and some thoughts I have going on.
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| I'M NOT A CLUBBING TYPE OF GAL |
I'm not afraid to say that I'm not the type of girl to go out 5 nights in a row and stumble into a lecture on 2 hours sleep. That's not really my style. Do I like a nice drink with friends, yes. Do I like to get off my face and regret my decisions the next day, no. I've definitely learnt this about myself over the three years. I'd much rather have dinner and a nice drink somewhere than go clubbing, it's never really been my scene. I feel like that's almost frowned upon when going to uni and too many people are scared to admit they maybe fall in the same boat. Don't be if thats you. You do you. Don't fall for the pressure of being 'boring' if you don't want to go to night clubs, if it's not going to make you happy, don't waste your time or your dollar.

| IT'S NOT LIKE YOU SEE IN THE MOVIES |
If you've ever watched Zoe 101, you'll have this false sense of security when writing your university applications. You would be very lucky to live on campus, and even anything less than a 15 minute walk from your lectures comes at a price. Accommodation isn't cheap these days folks. You also don't tend to share rooms with other people...maybe that's just a US thing? Making friends is also harder then you may think (at least for me). The first year was great as everyone is in the same boat, pretty much starting from the bottom as far as friendships go. Heading into the second year is when everyone goes off in their 'groups' to find their own place to live. I struggled with this as I didn't really find I had my own group. I had friends, but not one single group I could start looking for houses with. My tip; join a society or social club in your first year!! I didn't do this until year 2, and boy do I wish I did it sooner. You really do make great friends through sports clubs and societies as you already have a common interest. 

| NOT MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY GET A FIRST | 
When I started my course, my lecturer said that every year only a few people from the entire course will get a first class degree. I went in thinking that everyone would get a first and I would be the only one who wouldn't, now I realise that's not true. If you don't get a first, that doesn't make you unemployable, or unable to achieve a good job. This I am only now getting to grips with, as I'm not going to get a first, but a 2:1 is in my reach and I'll be more than happy with that. 

| MY COURSE WAS NOT FOR ME |
I'm going to be graduating in Multimedia Journalism, and I couldn't be happier to be saying goodbye to it. Doing a subject like Journalism, in a small city like Canterbury, makes the process a bit more difficult as not much happens there. I also hated relying on other people to get back to me with interviews and quotes in order to meet a deadline. It's stressful AF. I'd much rather be writing essays and only having myself to rely on for the content of my work. It wasn't for me needless to say, and I'm happy to pursue a career in something different. 

| VOLUNTEER WORK | 
As much as I should probably be thinking about getting a 9-5 job, part of me really wants to see more of the world. I don't want to take a gap year, but I do want to explore. I've been looking at the STA website, which is a great site for all you budding travellers. They have a great selection of backpacking type trips, as well as loads of different volunteer opportunities abroad. There's one in South Africa working with animals which is something I'm really interested in doing. I've been to South Africa on safari once before, but I would love to experience it in a more hands on approach. 

| INTERNING |
So, when it comes to thinking about potential careers, what do I actually want to do?! At the moment, I'm gearing towards Digital Marketing and Social Media work. I've spoken to a few people who say interning is the best way to get your foot in the door and gain relevant experience, and I could't agree more. This is what I'm focusing on at the moment. Over the summer I really want to get some experience before applying for full-time positions. 

| MAYBE I'LL DO A MASTERS? |
I never ever ever thought I would be the person who would say 'yeah, I think I'll do a masters degree'. For those of you who don't know, a masters degree is something you can do after University to gain further qualifications in a subject you may want to pursue. Now I have more of an idea of the job I may want, a masters seems more appealing. I don't think it's necessary if you want a good job, but it may help you stand out. I'm thinking Digital Marketing, or something along those lines...

So, there it is, a long ramble about University and a more personal insight. Would I suggest going to University? Sure, if there's something you're interested in, go for it! If I were to do it all again, I would chose something a bit different to sink my teeth into. I've leant some good skills along way, no doubt about that, but my experience wasn't perfect, nor what I had expected. But is anyones? I hope you found this post interesting in some way. If you are at University, about to graduate, or about to become a fresher, I wish you the best of luck with your journey.