Hello everyone! Long time no speak, I hope you are all well!
I have been mia recently as I have found myself back at uni and sinking my teeth into my 3rd and final year!
I am lucky enough to be studying at the RAU, Cirencester, which is a bit of a home away from home really. Think rolling fields, lots of dogs, many many horses and lovely old houses.
But, this year has one stark difference from my last two and it’s something that probably only the country lot will get. This is the first year I have been up here without my horse, Fern, and it is so strange…
I have had horses since I was 8, so my daily routine hasn’t really changed since then (sounds a bit sad when you say it outloud!!) but what I mean is that in and amongst school, sixth form, a gap year, uni and even placement life my routine has always consisted of a horse to care for morning and evening. And now suddenly I have my mornings and my evenings all to myself, and I tell you what, it is a little disconcerting. I have so much time to fill! But fill it I have. I make sure I go out for daily walks, have plenty of time for my uni work and I’m even fitting in two different jobs along the way. I am still finding my feet in this completely new routine and I can’t say I am loving it (give me a horse any day…) but I know with time I will settle back into it.
It’s at times like this I am grateful for the countryside surrounding uni, I still get to go out and stretch my legs with the sounds of birds and nature all around. It is of course a little busier than the Somerset lanes at home but the headspace is the same.
One thing I love about moving back here is how within ten minutes I can take a short wander and find myself in the centre of Cirencester with an abundance of coffee shops, bakeries, and retail therapy – it is actually really rather dangerous for my purse…and the waistline! Having grown up in the Somerset countryside, amenities like this have only ever been a car ride away, and still a twenty minute one at that. Whereas, here I can meet with friends for a coffee in minutes or even take myself on a little solo date into town and I just love it. Having everything on your doorstep and so much variety is pretty special for a little Somerset girl! One thing I do want to get better at this year is working away from my desk and making the most of being able to work in a nicer environment with a hot chocolate in hand – especially come winter. I can’t explain to you how cold Cirencester can be, it is as though it has its own little micro climate! Speaking of the cold, one thing Cirencester and the local area excels in, is an abundance of cosy Cotswold pubs! Of course, you can’t go to a country uni and not find yourself in a pub a couple of evenings a week – it would be rude not to when we have so many options! A cosy pub, a blazing fire and good friends are something I treasure up here and know I will miss when it’s all over!
Naturally, since moving back up here I have had times when I miss friends and family (the four legged and two legged kind). Having spent the majority of second year at home for various reasons this is the first time since first year that I have been properly away from home again. I certainly don’t miss being told to get out the shower because I am draining the hot water or to pick up my clothes from various places in the house but I do miss having my family around – and most of all my dog! I miss Wills soooooo much – I go on walks everyday here but it’s just not quite the same without a dog at foot – it feels almost wrong. Thankfully though, my wonderful house mate Olive got a Vizsla (Ritz) at the beginning of the year so we actually have a house dog and that helps! I still get the sofa snuggles and the waggy tail in the morning but it’s not quite the same when it’s not your own.
Independence has been nice to have back but sometimes it would be great to not have to think of what I am going to eat for three meals a day, every, single, day. I don’t know how adults do it! With a bit of meal planning and many a baked potato I am getting there slowly. Goodness knows how I am going to make it as fully fledged adult one day – I say one day – its actually less than eight months away now (ahhh!).
I feel as though I am talking a lot about the future beyond uni rather than uni itself but I think that has largely stemmed from my summer with Hiho, CWG, Blackdown and Dimpsey. Throughout my whole uni career I have never really known what I wanted to do with my future but since my summer placement I really learnt that I enjoyed that type of work in the marketing world and that I could go on to do it for my future. Marketing aside my time in my placement also opened me up to many other jobs in the industry, when attending some events and a media day I got to see behind the scenes and learn of even more roles that I may be interested in at some point. For now though, I need to firmly come back to the here and now, I have many future plans buzzing around in my mind and it can get a little busy in there at times. So, I am going to do my best to focus on the now as I know this time is going to absolutely fly by and before I know it I will be living the in future that I am currently thinking up plans for.
If any of you in our lovely CWG community are embarking on your university journey, or just like me, are settling back into it, I thought I would give you my four top tips for doing so…
Number One: Make the most of it
I think my first and foremost tip (and probably the most cliche) is make the most of it… I can’t explain how quickly the last three years have flown by and the thought of diving into the adult world in less than 8 months is rather terrifying. So soak it all up. Soak up the socials, the events, the town/city you are living in and most importantly soak up the time. I have come to realise that time like this is the kind of time you won’t get back. Time when you are independent, self governing and with an abundance of things to do – make the most of it! But also remember it is totally ok to have a movie night in bed with friends or even yourself, its about finding the balance, attend everything you want to and make the most of the opportunities but don’t forget to take time for yourself too.
Number Two: Studying can be fun
I know, I sound like a nerd but actually learning things can be fun. For me I have always loved my uni lectures because just like A levels I have chosen to be in them, so they are (mostly) on topics I care about and am interested in. Yes that lecture after a big night out might not sound so appealing but it might actually be the one that helps you get over the edge of that assignment. Or maybe its not and festering in bed would have been a much better idea (the odd lecture skip isn’t going to kill you – something I still struggle to allow myself to do sometimes!). Lectures aside, study can be a social time too. A time to get creative with friends and bounce ideas around, whenever I am stuck on something or not quite sure which path to take a quick chat with my friends normally helps me get my head straight and suddenly that assignment isn’t so daunting after all.
Number Three: Time management
Boring third year tip again – don’t leave work to the last minute. Trust me, it’s really not worth it. The stress it brings can really throw you off for some time and take the fun out of uni, I always try and plan in sections. Try to create mini deadlines for each element of the assessment and before you know it you will have two weeks till submission and only one section left to do – trust me that is a much better feeling than 3 days and 3,000 words…
Number Four: Be proactive
Being proactive can be taken in an educational and recreational sense. I think since coming back to Ciren it has more of a recreational feel for me. Ciren is gorgeous but it isn’t exactly a bustling big city full of things for youngsters to do. So we find we have to be a little more proactive in seeking out activities to do, we found a local farmers market to attend the other weekend a few villages away and there are often events happening within thirty minutes of uni – you just have to find them! So do your research, be proactive and find things to do – make the most of your new home there is always something to do, and if you can’t find something why not create an activity instead?
I think this applies for general countryside life too, sometimes there isn’t always a fun and bustling event to fill your weekend or evenings with when you live in the middle of nowhere; but you’d be surprised where a little research can take you and how much fun you could be having if you just do a little looking…
It has been lovely to catch up with you all – I am off to finish some assignment work before heading home for the weekend – the need to see Wills and Fern has become too much haha!
Take care
C xx