First things first

Before I introduce myself, allow me to give you just one piece of advice; University is fleeting, make the most of it. Grab every opportunity you can, because trust me, there will never be so much on offer again.

This is the general rule I live by whilst at Southampton and it has proven to be immensely successful, I have engaged in such a variety of activities that the past two years have become a whirlwind of excitement and diversity. Every choice I make seems to open a door to a better future, making my time at Southampton far greater than anything I could ever have expected.

Okay, so now to introduce myself, my name is Florence and I am a second (going into third) year English Literature and Philosophy undergraduate. However, to be honest, that little snippet of information really doesn’t tell you much about me. University is so much more than what you study; it is about what societies you join, what causes you fight for, and the friends you make along the way.

My journey started with Floor 3, B Block, Montefiore halls of residence - a place of many wonders, and is without a doubt the only time in my life I’d ever get to share a flat with twenty other people, and I loved every moment of it. I was foolish (and perhaps somewhat insane) for I never actually attended a university open day. I had, literally, no expectations or prerequisites; I knew the city had an Ikea and a John Lewis, but I knew little else. Learning that twenty other students would be sharing my kitchen was somewhat terrifying, but living with that many people was the best I could ever have done. I recommend it so highly for I have never had so much fun; also, statistically you are so much more likely to find someone you get on with when your flat is that much bigger. I was one of those incredibly lucky people whose flat was filled with amazing individuals and I had such a blast.

Christmastime on floor 3 (that's me on the right)

The university intelligently compiled our flats, filling our corridor and the one below mainly with people who had also taken gap years and therefore it was natural for us all to unite in our shared interest of travelling. Where my university life began is so important to me; it is slightly unconventional, and people are shocked when I tell them how many people shared my flat, but it showed me the varied and the differing passions people share. In my second year I lived with people from that flat, and I will be doing the same in my final year – Montefiore seems to have served me well.

Unconventional living seemed to persist for me, as I spent half my second year on the Erasmus European exchange programme in Barcelona. This experience changed my life; I gained a type of happiness in that city I had never experienced before. As a consequence a fierce and unrestrained love for all things European started, a love affair I never wish to end.  

View over Barcelona

My time in Spain wasn’t always easy, and at times I was both daunted and scared and longed to be back home; I arrived in Spain homeless and with no knowledge of the language, and I see it as a testament to myself when I note how well I coped. I fell in love with Barcelona and all the people in it, in fact, I have only just returned from visiting my beautiful city again.

Something which is inevitable whilst on Erasmus is integration with amazing and talented international citizens, and becoming friends with these people really awoke me to the truth behind the saying: ‘The world is your oyster’. This became more than a motto for me; it taught me that there are no boundaries to what you want, as long as you work hard.  Consequently it fuelled a passion for other international events, for instance last year I was a journalist in Strasbourg for the Model European Union, whilst this year I am on the organising committee, arranging international funding for the European Union stimulation. The progression of this, and all my other passions, will feature in subsequent blogs – for example, I am also deeply engaged with the society Student Hubs, which is all about connecting students with causes, and because it is so awesome it might be a little difficult to get me to shut up about it.

I hope this first blog gives a little bit of an insight into the sorts of things you can expect to hear from me, I also hope you can appreciate the wealth of opportunities that is to be had whilst at university; I wish to demonstrate the variety of what can be done.  My experience has been unique and I constantly learn from my peers that surround me; no one is ever more inspiring than those who constantly push for what they want – university can give you everything you want, you just need to grab hold of it, and not waste a moment.

Florence