Almost three years ago, I stepped foot onto the campus of The University of Sussex. I was scared, overwhelmed, nervous, lost. When I had left school, many people had told me, "You'll be the first one to drop out...you won't even last a term". Part of me believed them.
But I'm not a quitter.
On Wednesday 20th July, 2016, I officially graduated from university with a 2:1 in English Language and Literature and, not to blow my own trumpet, I'm pretty damn proud of myself.
It went in a flash, those three years. I remember sitting in my first seminar like it was yesterday, frantically trying to find someone to talk to and trying desperately to soak up all the information that was suddenly being thrown at me.
University gave me a lot; confidence, friendship, happiness, tears, stress, the wonders of Brighton. It also gave me this blog. The very thing that has altered my entire life.
You don't get a speech when you graduate, for obvious reasons, but if I had one, it would probably be something like this post. And so, in the tradition of any speech, I want to thank the people who got me here:
To my parents, for never letting me down once in my entire life. You are the reason why I do anything and you are the best part of my life.
To Mel, Cat and Sarah, my English buddies, who got me through some of the toughest times, even when I had no flipping clue what anything meant.
To Allie, who has spent countless hours on Facebook Messenger with me chatting endlessly.
To the cast of Sweeney Todd, who brought light into my second year and the true happiness of performing.
To anyone who has ever read this blog, followed me on any social media platform or supported me on this crazy endeavour.
To Ollie, who put up with me through the worst of times and the best of times.
To some, graduating might not seem like an achievement. Some people may think that it's something "everyone does" but to me it's special. I overcame every struggle that was thrown at me and I came out the other end with something to prove it. It may be a piece of paper, but it's a piece of paper I will treasure forever.
And nobody can take that away from me.
So long, Sussex. You've been wonderful.
"In the end, what we regret most are the chances we never took." - Fraiser Crane
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