The Best and Worst Things about Uni

As I have now been at uni for 6 months, I feel like I can honestly comment on the best and worst things about it, (from a first years' perspective, of course - I can imagine that third years have much bigger problems than missing their mum's cooking). Some of these are things that I noticed early on, whereas others are more recent realisations, as I feel like I am constantly learning how to function in the adult world.

The Worst Things

1. Missing Home - this is a big one for me, as although I see my family more than most people (living 50 miles down the motorway is v convenient), I do miss them. But it's not just missing your actual family, it's missing the familiarity of home, knowing that everything is carrying on without you. For example, I danced with my dance school for 15 years, and this year is the first time I will not be in their show, which breaks my heart despite having moved on from them. Towards the end of term particularly, I crave the familiarity of home. 

2. Cooking - I am not a good cook at all. My specialties include pasta, stir fry, and that's about it. Most of the time I can't be bothered to cook, and the rest of the time all I have in my cupboards is pasta, so that's all I eat. I would kill for something with a bit more taste, but unfortunately some of us are not Jamie Oliver, sigh. With cooking comes washing up, and I'm not sure which I hate more. Why don't student rooms have dishwashers?

3. Feeling subpar - This is something I have struggled with forever, and has been heightened since coming to uni, as I am surrounded by incredibly intelligent people, who, for the most part, have very different backgrounds to me, in terms of upbringing and schooling. I constantly feel like I'm not good enough to be here, and like everyone else is so much more intelligent than I'll ever be, but this is something that comes with being at such a competitive place I guess. 

4. Always Being Ill - I swear I have been ill since September. Every time I speak to my nan on the phone she asks if I have a cold again, and it took me a while to realise that no, I don't have a cold again, I never got rid of the first one.

The Best Things

1. The People - I've said it before, but I have met the most incredible people here, and I am so grateful for my friends. They are honestly the best group of people on the planet and I love them to bits. As well as my best friends, I have also met so many people away from them. I've got to know so many people on my course, through societies and at work, as well as through friends, and I feel like all of these people will be in my life forever. 

2. Learning - This sounds so cringe, but I enjoy learning, especially about things that interest me (aka not the stats module), and business is something that I love to learn about. I mean, I can't say that the accounting modules have suddenly inspired me to send my CV off to the Big Four, but I have learnt so much about different areas of business that I never would have done otherwise, and I'm sure my parents would love to hear that, to know that their money isn't being totally wasted. 

3. The Opportunities - Again, cliche but there are so many opportunities at university. I am spending next year halfway around the world, which is something I never thought I would be able to do. I've met the former Apprentice winner, been to Amsterdam, and I am taking part in a huge dance show this weekend. I wish I had taken up more at the start of the year so that I could have experienced more!

4. The Independence - Although I do miss my mum doing everything for me, I do love the independence that uni brings, whether it be eating whatever whenever, spontaneously driving to Loughborough when bored, or going out all night.

Despite all the things that I moaned about at the start of this post, uni is literally the best things ever and I am happier than I have ever been - I want this to last forever.