Final year of uni: The final push.

Yeah so final year. It's no walk in the park. I don't know about your uni, but here at Bristol the workload is HEA-VY! (German department, I'm looking at you in particular.)

It has to be said, I am genuinely loving this module.

I've been wanting to write this post for a while as some sort of explanation for the markedly reduced frequency of my blog posts these past few months, but - you guessed it - there has been a disappointing lack of time. (If you've stuck with me and are still reading, I am so SO grateful.) Proof: I am currently typing this on my phone while walking home from uni. If I walk into a lamppost, it will be for the good of my blog. Such a martyr, I know.

It's been a tough year, but final year is supposed to be tough, I knew that when I started. I feel awful for my younger sister - she's coming to the end of her second year studying languages at the University of Exeter, and thanks to my frequent stressed/despairing snapchats the poor gal is already dreading what's to come. My bad.

But I mean, so many people do this. People get degrees every year. It's not like I've been tasked with curing cancer or anything.

It's the final push now: I have the last two essays of my degree (and hopefully my life!) due in this week, the same week my ten exams start. So that's fun.

Having so many exams and essays on your plate at the same time is kinda hard though. My coursemates and I all feel like we're trying to juggle with 12 balls. I can't even juggle with three! However that may be more down to my total lack of hand-eye coordination rather than anything else.

My emotions are more mixed than a well-blended smoothie. Part of me is counting down the days till my final exam (25 days to go!) and planning all the fun I'm going to have afterwards: traveling, parties, reading, baking, cinema trips, shopping, BLOGGING! (You guys, OH, the blog stuff I have planned!)

But then another part of me is so sad about the prospect of student life ending. My coursemates are my best friends, and I love seeing them every day without even trying: we bump into each other in the Modern Languages common room, distract each other whilst working in the Multimedia Centre and try and sneakily catch up in classes.

(Thinking your degree wasn't like that? Do languages. We're a sociable bunch.)

Our almost-winning team at the School of Modern Languages pub quiz

Uni lunch break spot of dreams

I'm so going to miss living in the same city as all my friends. Sure, lots of us will move to London afterwards, or so everyone tells me. But it won't be the same. How could it be?

But life moves on.

The thing about being a student is that you can basically do your work whenever suits you, as long as you get it done. If you're a final year student in your final term, however, this just means you work all the time.

Earlier in my degree, however, it was great! We would go to the cinema in the afternoon and work in the evening. Or head to the library in the early hours of the morning and take the evening off. (OK, I never did that last one, but then again early mornings do not agree with me.)

But in a way this is an aspect of student life that I hate. Because there isn't really a division between work and life, you feel like you need to be working all. the. time. And it's impossible to relax properly. The guilt we feel if doing something other than work.

I long for days where I'll come home from work and then actually be able to enjoy weekends and evenings! Although I'm not so naive to think all jobs are like that.

Being a student in Bristol has been amazing, and I almost can't believe it's coming to end. Heck, 18 years of education are coming to an end!

And d'you know what? I'm ready for it. I can't wait to be free. To be able to finally start my life! Of course I don't regret doing A-levels and uni, goodness no. But an undergraduate degree is quite enough for me, thank you very much.

I keep trying to remind myself that the harder I work now, the more amazing it'll feel to be free afterwards. As my dad always says: "The more you put in, the more you get out." So, fellow students, let's nail these exams, shall we?

I'm going to really try and make the most of my final weeks in Bristol, despite ALL the work and stress and panic. AND THEN I'LL HAVE A DEGREE, WAHOOOO! Hopefully I'll look back afterwards and realise just how much I've broadened my horizons and whatnot.

Big wide world, come at me. In 25 days.