By Maya Tailor, Features subeditor
As I come to the end of my undergraduate degree, the time has come to reflect and ponder on the last three years of my life. From consecutive hangovers in first year to running on the Downs in the morning with my housemates as a very stressed final year student, my life has changed drastically since I first moved to Bristol as a silly little fresher. In just a matter of three years, I have faced my fair share of highs and lows, with each academic year presenting new memories and challenges to look back on. I am here to give you my unofficial and incredibly subjective ranking of my university years, from the perspective of a somewhat wise and knowledgeable third year.
3. First Year
At the bottom of my league table is first year. That infamous year that ‘doesn’t count’, seen by many as one of the best times of their lives, has earnt its place in last. Yes, the freedom that you get as a fresher is sacred and it is something you shouldn’t take for granted (I know I definitely didn’t). As a fresh 18 year old, my first taste of independence was incredible. From the many trips to Brass Pig and Motion (RIP) fuelled on weirdly coloured concoctions from spoons, to the eclectic calibre of people that I was surrounded by, there really isn’t a time like it. I was incredibly lucky that I was (and still am) so close to my flatmates; it is them that made this time so special and memorable. Alongside this, knowing that this is the only time where grades don’t really matter, first year possesses a charm that you would be hard-pressed to find at any other point in your life.
However, the joy and excitement found on nights out were temporary, before the raging hangover kicked and I realised I was shockingly late to my 9am. Sure, first year doesn’t count, but this isn’t to say I wasn’t academically unsettled and had no clue what I was doing. To go from top grades at A Level to barely scraping a 60 on your essay is humbling, especially when no one is teaching you how to write at an undergraduate level. To add on from this, the dirty accommodation and poor ventilation meant I was sick every other week with a new strain of cough that never really went away. It didn’t help that you are just in a bubble of other students who are equally as hungover and as sick as you. There is no escape from this.
Although first year was what I wanted as a newly turned adult, I knew there was something better out there for me.
2. Second Year
Surviving first year was no mean feat, so entering second year, I was keen to start afresh. What better way to do that than moving into a brand new house with some of my best mates? From making it our own place, decorated with our personal touches and doing homely things together, like cooking and watching TV together, it brought me a joy that couldn’t be topped. Living in Redland, with Cotham next door, living in a new area meant I was spoiled for choice on cute places to discover. Second year was like a breath of fresh air and this deepened my understanding of what a work-life balance could look like. Knowing my essays counted toward my final grade was slightly daunting, but I realised I had a much better grasp on what my lecturers wanted from me and that really came through in my work.
This isn’t to say that I focused entirely on university. I did dabble in a night out, and even branched out to places beyond the Triangle, but I was much more selective over what I spent my money on. I realised there was so much more to enjoying your free time than just drinking. I felt like a lived a life with some sort of purpose. I even took up running.
Even with all this growth, the looming pressures got to me at times. Whilst in first year you can live in your bubble, second year is where things get real and the pressures of dissertations, internships, and grad jobs start peeking round the corner. This dampened aspects of second year for me yet it also made me appreciate how much joy there was in my relatively stress-free life. I felt so much more settled and grounded as a student and that contributed to how great this year was
Whilst second year was incredible in so many ways, unfortunately it was just pipped to the top.
1. Third Year
We have now reached the top and in first place is third year. Coming into my final year, I felt so much more assured of myself both as a young person and as a woman. I had some form of direction as to what I wanted my final year and my future to look like, which was exciting and nerve-wracking all at once. Bristol really felt like home and I branched out even further with what this city has to offer. I took running a lot more seriously and it led me to some beautiful corners of the city.
Of course, this is not to say that third year did not have its challenges because it really pushed me to my limits. The pressure is unlike anything I have experienced. There was one week where I was consuming coffee and Red Bull like it was water, my heart thumping out of my chest. Hours upon hours in the library was soul destroying; it was times like this where I made some really great memories with my mates, with laughter cutting through the stress of deadline season.
On a more sentimental note, third year was also difficult knowing that everything was slowly coming to an end. I started thinking about my ‘final firsts’ and suddenly every little moment took on an elevated meaning as I experienced aspects of my daily routine for the final time. From my last TB1 Reading Week to my last ever seminar, it is hard to say goodbye to a place you have grown so fond to. But equally, it makes you incredibly appreciative of what’s in front of you. It forces you to live in the moment, to make fond memories that you will proudly look back on. Even amidst the stress there is so much laughter and happiness to look back on and that’s what makes the end so much harder. Even though I am saying goodbye to Bristol and living with my mates, it is exciting to think about the future and all the incredible things that are to come.
So that’s it! This is my reflective ranking of my university years. Of course, you may disagree with my observations and feelings but that is the beauty of these undergraduate years. There is so much to discover at university about yourself, your degree, your surroundings that it really is what you make of it. I would encourage anyone reading this to make the most of each year as it comes, as it really does go by in a flash.
Featured image: Epigram / Maya Tailor
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