Moving from sixth form to university was both a terrifying yet such an exciting experience. My last year in school was undoubtedly one of the best years of my life. I was surrounded by my friends, my high school sweetheart and the most devoted teachers I could have ever asked for. Although I was friends with the vast majority of my year, my closest friends were in the year below so moving to university whilst they were still at school was hard but I had to keep my head up and start a journey of my own.
I enrolled at Sussex University on the 18th September 2016 studying a foundation degree of 'Business Management and Economics', bearing in mind this was a brand new subject for me as I had never studied it before. I got on well with my new flat mates and don't get me wrong, the campus was beautiful but something didn't feel right. The essential readings didn't make sense to me, the course was a lot different to how I had imagined it and less than a month later I was sat in the back of my mums Peugeot driving home from the campus for the very last time.
Like every teenager going to university I had my doubts and worries about who I would meet, what my flat mates would be like and whether or not I made the right decision. In the end I thought it would be best to spend a year figuring out what I am really passionate about, working out my interests in my spare time and spending the year with a job so I can make the most doing things without having to live on a tight budget. I set myself goals and managed to achieve them, I even managed to run the Brighton Marathon and pass my driving test! In September 2017, I enrolled at Bournemouth University to study 'Communication and Media' which has been one of the best decisions I've made and haven't regretted my gap year in the slightest.
I have listed my top five reasons as to why I dropped out of university.
1. Choosing the Wrong Course
Choosing to study a course you have never studied before is a huge risk and if you don't enjoy what you're studying then you will feel less inclined to work hard. Now degrees are costing more and more each year, you have to ask yourself "Is this degree worth £9250 a year and "Am I going to try my best for this?" What you study will be the first step towards your career and if you are doubting your degree and your interests of it already then how will you feel when you have to go into this career for the rest of your life?
These thoughts constantly played in my mind, I thought I would enjoy business but I always found myself sitting in the seminars counting down the minutes until I got to go home. The economic side was even worse. Although I achieved a B in GCSE maths, by the time I finished my A Levels, I forgot all of what I learnt. Trying to get help on a subject I wasn't interested in was a waste of time and knew I had to change course. I never knew what I wanted to do as a degree so this is where my thought's of taking a gap year started.
2. Home Sickness - Missing my S.O and friends
I would watch my friend's snapchats of them in school, laughing and messing around and they would keep me up to date on the funniest stories which constantly made me wish that I could return to school. I was even tempted to take part in work experience back at school just to be surrounded by the people I loved. At Sussex I watched my flat mates make new friends and join societies which I missed out on because I would be coming home every weekend to spend time with my friends and my boyfriend. Fresher's Fair was my chance to integrate with new freshers who were in the same position as me and sign up for the Cheerleading society but yet again I missed the tryouts because of my absence on the weekends. I spent almost every night on FaceTime with my boyfriend planning days out together for the weekend and my struggles I was facing. I guess in some ways I did isolate myself because I didn't want to move on with my life as I was so happy. I didn't feel like anything could beat that.
3. Living on Campus
I specifically chose Sussex University because it was a beautiful campus, a top 20 University and I loved that you can live a 10 minute walk away from the lecture theatres. This seemed ideal until you wanted to leave the campus and especially clubbing throughout fresher's week. The bus was expensive at around £4 for a return ticket, so if you go out every day/night the bill adds up. This wasn't the only set back. When you want to get back from Brighton after clubbing, you'd have to wait 20 minutes for a bus to come but it would already be so full (Brighton university students also share this bus) so you would have to wait another 20 minutes for the next one. I thought about this a lot when I was living in halls, I was constantly on a tight budget so I couldn't leave the campus which would leave me feeling trapped.
4. The Maintenance Loan - Debt
One particular lecture I went to our lecturer said "You only retain 5% of information you get from a lecture" and this stuck with me. I found myself wondering why I turn up to these lectures and when I did turn up to them I would count down the minutes till they were over. I did the essential readings and group presentations but I found myself only doing it because I had to rather than I wanted too. I can honestly say that the three weeks I was there for, I didn't learn anything just because I just wasn't motivated to do so. I wondered why I was spending £9250 on a degree I wasn't even sure I'd pass let alone enjoy it. On top of that, we had to pay for rent which cost me £150 a week. I got a maintenance loan but I would only qualify for the minimal amount which couldn't even cover my accommodation let alone food and essentials so knowing that every week cost my parents and I at least £150 I made me indecisive about staying and in the back of my mind I was adding up the amount of money I would have to pay off.
5. Knowing it wasn't the right moment in time
A year is a long time which I didn't want to waste, I felt that I missed out on opportunities, didn't make as much friends as I hoped and I went home every opportunity I had. I knew I still wanted to go to university but had the ambition to set myself goals which would make me feel proud of myself which consisted of; running the marathon, passing my driving test and buying my first car. I even got treated to afternoon tea at the Ritz and managed to join my friends at their prom! I wanted to start university the right way and in the right mindset. I chose carefully the universities I applied for taking into consideration the amount of time it would take to walk into town, the walking distance from my halls to the clubs and how far away the beach is. I am now studying at Bournemouth University studying a subject I am passionate about and thoroughly enjoying. Town is just a 10 minute walk away, I have made friends who never fail to make me laugh and have joined the cheerleading society 'BU Falcons' which couldn't be going any better.
My gap year was the best decision I've made and wouldn't change it for the world. Below is a montage of a few of my favourite moments from the transition from Sussex University to Bournemouth, filled with people who made it the greatest year. I am lucky that I am surrounded by such supportive people who have made this an unforgettable experience.