Five years ago today, I found out that I would be going to Swansea University to study American Studies (BA Hons) with a year in America!  I could not wait to go, to move in with new friends and flat mates, and most importantly live by the beach!

I won’t lie, I was really sad to be leaving all of my friends back in Birmingham and was very apprehensive about losing contact with them, also not being able to make new friends. Luckily, I had been coming to Swansea for 6 or so years before then and I loved the city, so I already had a few friends at Swansea who would become even closer friends and help create some amazing memories in this wonderful city. As for those in Birmingham, I am still extremely close with my best friends, and we all visit each other all the time! (So for those of you who are worried, if you really want to stay in contact, you will).

As soon as I arrived in, I realised this was going to be an amazing four years (which actually turned out to be five years now). My flat mates were wonderful and fun, I managed to get a job on the first weekend working for the Students’ Union at Woody’s; now known as ‘The Wonky sheep’ (I still know it as Woody’s and always will!),  we celebrated freshers and Swansea all that year. We still do, five years on!

Due to meeting such amazing people, and getting involved in the Union, I feel that I have experienced so much of what Swansea has to offer. Such as, amazing times camping and barbequing down the beach, getting involved in societies, travelling, mountain biking, hitch hiking to Croatia, going for late night swims in the Gower, Wind Street, the village carnival and many more fantastic things that Swansea has to offer all students that arrive here to study and become a part of a strong Swansea spirit!

When I moved to America for a year, it was the strangest thing not being around the friends I had been living with for two years, changed and partied with. Although studying in America via my course was one of, or probably, the best year of my life; I was so excited to return and see all my friends and be back in Swansea once more.

Skip to this August, post graduation and I am still here in Swansea. Loving life and walking along the beach to the university every morning. Still involved in the Union and very excited to welcome the freshers of 2012/2013 with the rest of the officer team! It is going to be one heck of an experience for you all.

So congratulations to all, and we will see you in September!

Please feel free to contact me via email: womensofficer@swansea-union.co.uk or via my personal twitter account: @becki325