As a first-year university student, it is a given that you want to experience everything. Making new friends, being exposed to new experiences and dancing at parties are some of my favourite memories associated with my degree.

There is a variety of different friends that you meet at university, you are each other’s biggest supporters, you work together, entertain each other through boring lectures, dance together, learn together and best of all, you grow together. These friends have motivated me on the difficult days, inspired me on the boring days, laughed with me on the good days and I can’t wait to celebrate with them at our graduation.

For me, university was a different ball game. I went from not being able to drive to sitting in three hours of traffic a day. After my first week at university, I gained an understanding of how sheltered I had been. I started to ask questions about different cultures, religions, beliefs, and so many more topics I had never thought about. On a whole, university has taught me so much that goes beyond the curriculum.

Some of the most prominent challenges I experienced can be broken up into three categories; time management, overall health and anew found sense of independence.

I have always been someone who needs to be busy with numerous different ventures. During my degree, I worked for different companies, started a company, did extra courses, as well as continuing to run my own charitable organisation. There were times where I neglected my studies and did not live a balanced life style. Time management is the most important skill a student will need going towards tertiary education.

Throughout my degree I had some challenging personal times, which were not often understood by my lecturers. The last four years have been challenging both physically and mentally. There have been occasions where, unfortunately, I experienced exhaustion, burn out, anxiety and depressive episodes. This has taught me the importance of self-care, as well as learning how to refrain from adding more to a full plate.

Being a university student, straight out of school, I learned the true meaning of becoming independent. Suddenly, I needed to pay bills, there were no teachers re-explaining concepts I did not understand, no one reminding you of deadlines and no one to force you to do your work. Your actions and their consequences are your responsibility and yours alone.