It has now been a bit of time since I finished my final exams. I have spent more amount these past few weeks feeling 22 than I have in the last year. I have also had time to reminiscence about these past four years and the change I’ve gone through – hope you’ll enjoy a trip down memory lane with me!
Year 1
Before actually starting – very excited and nervous about what was to come
I started at Edinburgh thinking I was going to become a social and economic historian. That lasted about 2 weeks until I realised it was the completely wrong choice for me, and that I was much more meant for psychology. I also spent a fair bit of first year wondering if I had taken the right choice in moving so far away. I think I suffered a bit from the idea that first year is supposed to be amazing and the time of your life, yet I did not really find a group of friends before it was almost November. Semester 2 I felt a lot more settled and I started to enjoy living in a big city. I also did a bit of studying, but managed to get through first year without too many late nights.
Studying hard or hardly studying?
Halloween at Teviot – the actor that played Hodor was the DJ
Year 2
The view of my second year flat onto Princess Street
I managed to transfer to a psychology degree in the summer holiday, and I did not look back. I did not do any courses in history in my second year. Instead, I continued on with sociology and did a course on social policy. I also thoroughly started to enjoy statistics, which took up a lot of my time in second year. While living in a flat with the most beautiful view on the Royal Mile, my flatmate and I was not a great match, and I spent a lot of the year in library to avoid being home.
My ex-boyfriend and I also spent our first proper year together, and he managed to drag me up my first (and only) munro. I also took up climbing and spent many hours at the climbing wall (some of it also included climbing and not just chatting). That summer I stayed in Edinburgh to work, without having a lot of friends, and it was in many ways quite lonely, yet I also realised how fine I was on my own, and how I did not really struggle to fill up my time. It was definitely a highlight when my grandparents came to visit. I also went on a very romantic getaway to Portugal.
There is not really any going out photos, because well, I did not really do any of that in second year. I was too caught up in other things to really care.
…. yet I spent most of that year looking onto the Meadows from the main library instead
On my way to the top of Ben Lomond
Finishing my first 6A. Yes, my chalk bag is the Danish flag – one of my favourite pressies!
My grandparents visiting – here we enjoyed an amazing meal at our favourite, The Outsider
A beautiful sunset in Portugal
Year 3
Best friends are not always the ones you have known the longest – here I am with two friends at the psychology ball
I had not found the academic side of things to take up too much time in first and second year, so I decided to fill up my timetable a bit more. In the end, I ended up being school convenor part of the lecture recording procurement, took up jiu jitsu (until I got injured end of first semester), working part-time, being a voluntary research assistant while dealing with a bigger course load than I ever had before.
On top of all of this, my ex and I were long-distance for most of the summer until February in semester 2. It was not always easy, and I found myself constantly running around trying to juggle it all. The worst part of third year was definitely managing 7 deadlines in the span of about 2.5 weeks, having not written an academic psychology essay since first year. I am not sure I enjoyed any of my courses, and I wish I could re-do the year now with what I later learned.
It was not all bad, though. I realised that while jiu jitsu was not for me, I definitely wanted to join a sports club. I also made new friends, which helped me a lot. I finally enjoyed living with a flatmate, and I started to feel at home. I loved being school convenor and rediscovered my love for education. All of this led me to spending my summer working on the lecture recording project at the university, with a month home in June where I interned as an educational psychologist. I did not have a lot of time off, but I started to thrive on being busy, which was lucky as I did not really get any less busy. I still loved statistics, and managed to get to work with my number one choice of supervisor.
My wonderful flatmate, Melina, at our favourite Japanese restaurant for a good bento box
Spent a bit more time in third year being young – here with a group of jitsu friends
I also got all dressed up for my first Scottish wedding
Still a proud statistics nerd
Also went home in the middle of the semester 2 exam diet to celebrate my sister’s confirmation
Spent most of my summer indoors working – here teaching about creative common licenses to academics
Year 4
This sums up fourth year pretty well – a group of friends and me posing next to my poster child photo after a spontaneous night-out
Fourth year flew by before I had even looked around. It was potentially also my best and most eventful year. Throughout my years at university, I matured a lot and I think I really felt that throughout 4th year. While still taking on too much stuff, I struggled much less with juggling all my responsibilities, and I prioritised a better work/life balance that kept me sane.
I started kickboxing, and ended up on the committee. While it took up a lot of my time, it was potentially one of the most giving experiences at university. I loved being part of a sports team, and I found even more friends. I also spent a lot of time on fun socials, which gave a nice contrast to my very adult job and the seriousness of my courses. I also figured out what type of psychology I enjoyed, and only really did courses I liked. It made studying a lot less tedious. I also wrote a dissertation, which really suited my interests. I also continued working on the lecture recording project, and I knew learning technology was the field for me.
A week and a half before my dissertation deadline, my ex and I split up after almost three years together. It was not easy at the time, but I found myself being happier and more optimistic about the future. I also feel much more certain about my choice of (hopefully) staying in Edinburgh long-term. I actually also enjoyed my exam period for the first time ever. I think living on my own for the first time also made this hectic year easier, even though I missed Melina.
And just like that, the year was over, way faster than I could ever have imagined. To be honest, I enjoyed fourth year so much that if someone offered to sponsor me to do a masters, I would not say no.
A beautiful picture of my white sheets before a friend and I ate indian on them and spilled curry.
My dissertation idea was presented on a poster (though it changed a bit before the final version). I also got to use some of my PowerPoint skills from my internship.
The Kickboxing Committee 2017/2018 at the Sports Union Ball
These two came to be a big part of my fourth year, all thanks to kickboxing
I also spontaneously went on a trip to Budapest with Melina – my first proper holiday since I went to Portugal
Leaving the lecture recording team was not easy. I do not think many interns get the goodbye I got, and I am still so grateful to have been allowed to be part of the programme. Hopefully, I’ll get to see all of you again.
Sat an exam in the McEwan hall basically a perfect 2 months before my graduation date
As you can tell, I had fun on the night I finished exams even if town was empty. You only have the fun you make yourself!
And it only got better once these two finished as well. They get a lot of credit for getting me through fourth year.
You cannot really finish a post like this and cover everything there is to say. I think it is fair to say I grew to love Edinburgh and the university more than the nervous and excited little fresher could ever have imagined. I also kind of wish I could do them all over, but I guess it is time to accept I am one step closer to being an adult, with only about a month till graduation.
