All my life I knew I wanted to go to university, and after finally starting last September I can safely say I really underestimated how hard I was going to find it being away from home, despite only being a 40 minute train ride away. I cried a lot, I missed my family and boyfriend constantly and quite simply, I struggled! I'm now on my second semester at university and feeling a whole lot more positive about the next 3 years. I still get those days where I feel homesick, but I've slowly learnt how to deal with it. Here are my top tips!

12 things I learnt in my first week of University

I'm still alive, I haven't posoined myself so far, and I'm onto my third week of university.

It seems so crazy to me still that I'm here, on my own for the next three years building my future. I already feel so different as a person than what I did a few weeks ago. There have been tears, lots of burnt food, long boring lectures but there's been a lot of fun too, and after just a couple of week I thought I could share the top 12 things I've learnt so far:

1. 1. If you're feeling homesick, go out and do something.
2. 2. Don't leave biscuits and other fattening snacking foods in your room, you will eat them.
3. 3. It's 100% okay not to go out every night of freshers.
4. 4. It's 110% okay to want to get early nights!
5. 5. Everybody is lovely, be brave and talk to people... make friends!
6. 6. You can't live on pasta and noodles for the rest of your life.
7. 7. Sometimes the best nights are those unplanned.
8. 8. Start the semester as you mean to go on, be organised and work your butt off.
9. 9. Make an extra effort with everything you do.
10. 10. Fresher flu is real. And you WILL catch it.
11. 11. Cover your room with photos and bring as many teddies as you like.
12. 12. Do what YOU want to do.. you're here for yourself!

Life as as a student: one month to go

Exactly one month today I'll be settling into my new home: the University of East Anglia. I'm attending UEA for 3 years to study Geography.

University is something I've always had my heart on. I love to learn and be in a learning environment, and the social aspects have always appealed to me just as much. They always say university will be the best years of your life. Despite it being a scary process, I know it's the right thing for me and this time in 3 years I'll be grateful to have done it, with hundreds of memories and new life experience learnt.

Thankfully UEA isn't far from my hometown, Ipswich. It's far enough away for me to feel independent but close enough for me to jump on a train when I need a mummy cuddle or a proper homemade meal. Nonetheless, it's still a very daunting thing for me. I'll be living on my own for the first time with complete independence, some of which I haven't yet gained! I'll be leaving my family, my friends and my boyfriend and made to make new ones. I'm excited to meet new people and start new adventures, building both my experiences and myself as a person.

Did you go to uni? Do you have any tips for me?