The end of a journey

Crikey, it’s arrived!

Four academic years, 104 blog posts (now 105!), far too many coursework assignments (as well as extra-curricular work!), 25 Performing Arts theatrical shows, 3 spells on society committees, huge numbers of meetings and presentations and group work sessions and assignment late-nighters, tens of chicken and bacon baguettes from the Students’ Union shop, loads of nights out, tours, trips, library sessions and examinations aplenty, and days and days and days to write about in Southampton…

However you want to measure and quantify it, I’m here right now, writing my last blog post ever on the train from Southampton Central Station back up to my Northern base for what seems like the final time. Well, until I find an excuse to visit, anyhow!

Like the graduation ceremony I wrote about last time around, this never really was going to happen in my head. I’ve thought about how I’d feel writing this post many times over, but I’ve never come anywhere near settling on what to actually write about when the time came. In truth, it’s probably because I never really believed that I’d reach it; maybe everyone else would finish the best years of their life, graduate, and head off into the real world…but for me, I always felt like the Southampton I came to know and love wouldn’t leave. Suffice to say that any plan I had for this post is well and truly out of the window!

Many people have been and gone from Southampton since I arrived, so for it to finally be my time is an incredibly surreal mix of emotions. I’ve plenty of sadness in saying farewell to a place which has given me so much, yet simultaneously I’ve huge fondness in remembering all the incredible stories, experiences and friendships I can muster, most of which I’ve tried to capture through my posts on the blog to show you just how much Southampton can offer – I’m sure I’ll read them back in years to come and lose myself to nostalgia!

And I still feel like I have so much to say, because there really is so much that can be said about life at the University of Southampton. The great thing is that I’ve never stopped learning since arriving at the University four years ago, in all aspects of life, and in turn it’s given me a lot to reflect on as I move forwards into the terrifying prospect of ‘the real world”!

On an academic front, that learning has been in terms of my incredibly inspiring, interesting and cultivating courses and modules. In attaining an MEng in Software Engineering (it still feels weird to say that!) I’ve enjoyed exploring loads of different fields like Artificial Intelligence (very, very cool!), robotics, management, discrete mathematics, programming, finance, Human-Computer Interaction (my favourite area!), biometrics, computer vision and so much more.

In doing so, I’ve never felt like I’ve been stuck doing just one thing, instead enjoying the variety and creativity it offers. If you struggle with the Maths side of things, for example, you’ll be able to enjoy designing an application instead the very next week, before you get the chance to specialise in third and fourth year – it never stands still!

But in terms of personal aspects, this is where the heart of the student experience lies for me. Over the course of four years, I’ve honestly discovered so much about myself, what I can (and can’t – well, not yet, anyway!) do, and who I am.

Before landing at University on that very first day back in September 2011, I’d never properly cooked for myself, done laundry, grocery shopped, financed, registered at a health service.... any number of life skills which you need to get by when the parents aren’t around! Moreover, I’d absolutely no idea how to set about seemingly reinventing my life from scratch, having nobody I knew from the North alongside me, and being extremely shy to boot – so much so that I pretended to wake up late in the afternoon on my second day here, just to put off seeing my new flatmates again (sorry, guys, if you’re reading this)!

Yet on the course of this journey of self-discovery that the University experience has taken me on, I think that’s the most important thing I’ve learnt: nobody gets it right first time, and we’re all liable to make mistakes every now and then – we just learn from them and improve!

By throwing yourself into more and more activities, student groups, academic clubs and the like, you open yourself up to these chances to self-improve, in turn picking up loads of new skills along the way and learning about yourself and the world around you in an entirely pressure-free environment.
You can improve yourself and learn from the people around you just by asking questions, enjoying yourself, and responding to any challenges which arise with optimism.

The Students’ Union is a great place to try stuff out – and in doing so, learn from mistakes, and improve!

Friendships really can be built just from going up to someone and saying “Hello” – and you’ll never know where saying “yes” to the opportunities which follow can take you!

There was something very final about wandering around campus this morning before my train departed. I know I’ll be back – I’ve way too many strong ties to even contemplate staying away, and I’m sure I’ll want to see one or two more of the Performing Arts shows before too long at the very least! But in many ways, it felt like the end of a long, yet too short, all-encompassing path from Day One to Present. I can barely begin to describe how much this University has done for me as a person, but I emerge from it a more confident, articulate and determined individual, ready to pursue whatever challenge comes along next – rather than pretend to be asleep!

Finally, I’d like to say a huge thank you. Moving so far away from home was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, and being shy, nervous and worried, I wasn’t confident at the time in my ability to make that transition. What I couldn’t have anticipated was just how vivacious, welcoming and friendly the community at the University of Southampton would be.

From early Freshers’ socials to the leavers’ events just gone by, I’ve always felt fully enveloped in a city that I’ve come to know as a second home, and the people who have been here over these four years have come to define Southampton for me as a place of real learning, opportunity and, most importantly, fun.

At the risk of this sounding like an Oscar acceptance speech, I’d like to say thank you so much to everyone I’ve met along the way, particularly my incredible girlfriend, all those who helped me along, worked with me or taught on my course, those innumerable brilliant people in SUSU Theatre Group, Showstoppers, Performing Arts and SUSU media (you know who you are!), all who have read and contributed to the blog (and edited it!), and all of those who have given me the honour of their faith in the form of some truly remarkable and life-changing opportunities.

Thanks to my parents for making the journey down South lugging my things so many times – it never seems to get shorter!

 From first year… 

 … to last, my housemates have defined my Southampton experience!
Credit: SUSU Photographic Society

And thank you, unreservedly, to my two sets of housemates over my time here. Despite hailing from a broad variety of backgrounds and harbouring such different interests initially, and despite my initial shyness, I don’t think I can express my gratitude enough for making Southampton my home and making me a better person with it. I can’t wait to see you all again, as soon as I possibly can!
… so, that’s it!

This has been Robin Johnson on Life at Southampton – signing off!

Robin