I wasted my first year... and things turned out alright

By Jasmine Burke, Wellbeing Editor

Wellbeing Editor Jasmine Burke reflects on her rocky start at University and how it ended up improving.

Before starting Bristol, I had searched societies and course details and was convinced I would be amazingly proactive. It was not a question of whether I would join something, but rather how many things I would join.

University was set up to be this amazing world of opportunity and clubs and happy, busy days. However, by the time I had finished my first semester, I knew that this was not going to be the case. In fact, University had become anything but that for me.

I would hate for this to be one of those 'It gets better' stories, because I cannot guarantee that. But yes, in my case, things did get better.

I did not get along with my flat as well as I wanted to. I was not doing as well in my course as I expected to. I had friends, but they were spread out all over the place. And as for all of those societies that I had my eye on? I barely had the energy to leave my bed, let alone hike up the Christmas Steps and make my way to the SU. My mental health had plummeted, as did my drive to do anything but the bare minimum. I spent the rest of the year focusing on dragging myself out of my slump; anything other than that had to take a back seat.

By the end of the year I had ‘fixed’ myself to some extent, but at that point I felt that it was already too late, and my University experience was set to be grey and dreary for the following two years. However, on a whim – literally at 2am one sleepless night – I decided to apply for the Epigram editorial team and ended up set to be one of their editors for my second year.

Photo by Epigram / Luke Unger

Next thing I know, second year started and I was thrust into the responsibilities that Epigram entailed. There were socials, people with similar interests to me and a drive to get out and do things that had not existed before. I felt like I had a bit of the ‘old me’ that actually wanted to do things back. Also, I was able to make a separate set of friends, which is always refreshing.

I barely had the energy to leave my bed, let alone hike up the Christmas Steps and make my way to the SU.

I’m not trying to shamelessly scream ‘Join Epigram!’ from the top of my voice, because honestly that is not the point of this article. The main point of this is that it is never too late to join a society and turn your University experience around. Whether it is sport, music, journalism and so forth, find your interest and find the society… You’d be surprised at what could happen.

I would hate for this to be one of those 'It gets better' stories, because I cannot guarantee that. But yes, in my case, things did get better. I was sat in my bedroom in first year, convinced that I had wasted my year and that was it now. But, until you graduate, the ‘That’s it’ signpost that you have created in your head does not actually exist.

Featured Image: Epigram / Jasmine Burke