Leaving home
A realistic Guide to life at UCLan - written by students!
By female student, 19, BSc(Hons) Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation
What is worse;
A) Opening the envelope containing your A Level results
B) Living in a room so disgusting that swine flu wouldn’t risk entering
C) Driving up the motorway with your mother crying her eyes out
I know which was worse for me, definitely the latter. The only thing worse than that was probably being left for the first time in my halls, surrounded by people I barely knew and in a place I had visited little. I was a Fresher last year (and again this year!), and I can still, very clearly remember driving up the motorway singing along to Katy Perry trying my best not to cry – all because my Mother decided to burst into tears. Leaving home is a very difficult thing to do, for some people it is easier than others but I can totally sympathise with the people who found it difficult.
Note from the TAG Team: Your parents may or may not cry when they leave you for uni for the first time. Try not to get too upset or embarassed if your parents do end bursting into tears. Watching your child fly the nest and go to uni can be an overwhelming experience for parents so give them a little sympathy and remember to remind them you will be back at christmas to annoy them!!!
By Katy Curley, Public Relations and Marketing, 3rd year, age 20
There is no nice way of putting it leaving home is scary, especially if you are just starting university. I left home and moved to university for my third and final year. I was a little apprehensive about moving away, because of obvious things like missing my parents and boyfriend, but it has been one of the best things I’ve done.
Not only for extending my already independent nature but also for university work, one thing I really appreciate is being only ten minutes from the library. This makes life a lot easier as before I used to commute, not far to be fair, but was still a 35minute drive back and forth every day. It has made things easier for working within groups, as I can make it to late night meetings, also easier to just go and do work at the library and not think about going home.
I would definitely recommend living at university for even one year during your studies, just to get that experience. I feel I have benefited from it a lot and have made even more friends whilst living here, because you meet different people in different circumstances. Obviously I find it a stretch with money, due to food and bills but I definitely think it is worth it and a great life lesson.
