After waiting for what seemed like a lifetime to find out what end of the country I was moving to come September, it was a bit of a relief and exciting to find out I got into my first choice, Bournemouth University. I screamed and danced around on results day (despite my mum’s dismay!), and the last week at home was a mixture of many emotions. Excitement for a new beginning, meeting new people, living out on my own without my parents breathing down my neck. Nerves for me having to do everything, like booking the doctors. Sometimes I don’t even want to be an adult, but moving out and being responsible for making it for the year has that effect on you.

So Monday began the six day countdown: making a final checklist, beginning to wash all my clothes. In between taking my brother to school, cleaning the house and daydreaming about the type of people my housemates would be, I heard so many stories about bad housemates that I had given way too much thought to and was worried but excited at the same time.

Tuesday was my goodbye day. I met up with a few friends and we spent the day together. It didn’t feel like we were leaving, it was more like a goodbye for a short time, however it would be a while before we all met up again. The fact that we were moving to different ends of the country and likely to meet other crazy people didn’t really sink in until later. You grow close to people who you see at least five days a week for the past two years and who you’ve spent hours with laughing, and spending time together. Other friends I had been close to for years, although I didn’t see them a lot, and it was a harder to say goodbye. Although people say we have it easier now with all the technology around, there is nothing like physical contact and seeing someone right in front of you.

After walking into my room and seeing the bags and boxes – it hit. It just didn’t feel real.

After weeks of counting down, finally Saturday came. Packing everything up into the car was a task that was more like a Tetris game. During the drive down, I had a mixture of emotions between excitement and worry. Unpacking and saying goodbye was hard, yet I knew I had a new set of people to live with, and a degree to gain.

The last thing I was told by a friend was, “University is an adventure. Take opportunities and make connections.”

So with opportunities ahead and the adventure of university, roll on the next four years at Bournemouth!

By Joy Hungwe

Joy is studying BSc (Hons) Marketing