Whether you’re graduating, going on your year abroad or on industrial placement there’s sure to be a suitcase full of things you’re going to miss after leaving Uni – and Nottingham itself. Let’s not get caught up in the sadness of it all and instead makes the most of the time left. Here’s a few things you’re bound to miss when you’re gone; from the obvious to the not-so.
Living Independently
Almost definitely the number one thing you’ll miss about being a student. Living independently becomes second nature. The freedom is amazing and you pick up your own habits and routine. Moving back home, or out of student living can mean a flip in this routine and independence. The rules at home can be very different and often it’s difficult to communicate your need for independence with your parents. You also get to live with your friends – something hugely underrated. The fun you have in a student house is incomparable, the learning curve of becoming an adult hilarious and the stories are some you’ll never forget. Make the most of the time you have left with your housemates. Once you move out you will miss them, no matter how many times they didn’t wash up your favourite pan.
Friends on your doorstep
Of course your friends at home are irreplaceable, we all know that but uni friends are often taken for granted. When the majority of students are concentrated into two or three local areas there’s basically a friend on every doorstep. The reality though is these people, after leaving Uni, live all over the country out of a university setting. Your housemate might only be a flight of stairs away now but once you graduate that could be extended hundreds of miles. It’s hard not to bump into someone you know when you pop to the shops, the gym or the library. Those short conversations or quick smiles you share in passing can make your day in the smallest of ways. It’s easy not to notice while you’re here but you’ll certainly notice the absence when its gone.
Real holiday
One that flies under the radar. Having a month off for Easter, Christmas, four for summer is pretty much unheard of in the working world. Yes most of our Christmases and Easters are supposed to be spent revising and writing coursework but its still technically holiday. When your student days are over so are the big holidays unfortunately…unless you go into teaching. A job with a salary comes with holiday restrictions. A reality that’s bound to shock many when the time for being a student is over.
The Uni bubble
The uni bubble is debated often. Is it a good thing, is it a bad thing? One thing I know for sure is I’ll miss it after leaving Uni. Having everything in your local vicinity pretty much catered towards you is the optimal convenience. Campus universities especially create a hub of young like minded people and provide all the amenities they could ask for. Societies that seem the foundations of the uni bubble provide an easy opportunity to meet people, pursue a hobby and keep active. One in particular you’re bound to miss is the feeling of being on a sports team. The chance to train, compete and celebrate weekly is a privilege you’ll no doubt miss.
Student discount
One of the biggest perks of being a student has got to be the discounts you can rack up basically anywhere. A few we take for granted are bus, tram, even train!? The difference between a student ticket and a general ticket is huge. With the Santander 16-25 railcard you get 1/3rd off all train prices. I don’t know about you but I don’t even blink when booking the train home with its discounted price but the reality of paying in full!? Definitely something I’ll miss. Then you have the general 10-20% discounts at bars, restaurants and clothing stores. Not quite as monumental savings but every little counts am I right? A little more food for thought – Spotify Premium. £5/month? No problem. £10/month? Problem.
Feeling at home, away from home
Chances are if you’ve been at university for 3+ years the city you study in has become your home away from home. Maybe your comfort zone has shifted and you feel more accustomed to living halfway across the country. Although you could never admit it to your mum, more often than not it happens. For me, living in Nottingham has given me everything I could possibly ask for. Home still holds a place in my heart but there’s something much more stimulating about being in the city you’ve studied in. Leaving Uni and moving back home feels counterproductive. We have been media-coined the boomerang generation for a reason but that doesn’t mean we don’t miss our university city, we do…a lot.
There you have it. If you’ve made it to the end of this post without shedding a small tear for what might have been the best years of your life I commend you. You’re left with two options; embrace the change and get going on your new adventure or stay? Do a masters, a PhD, run for SU – there’s plenty more you can do at university if you’re not quite ready for leaving Uni yet. Then if its the city you’re finding a hard time cutting ties with find a job locally even if it’s not a dream grad job.
You’re still young, don’t panic.
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