Diary in the week of being a graduate!

I have been super AWOL with this blog ever since I finished University and that is mainly due to life being incredibly busy. The to-do list of things seems to get more adult as soon as the final essay submission is done. Even minor things such as booking the dentist (which to be honest I still haven't done) or doing my driving lessons, seem overwhelming as the safety bracket of doing academic work isn't an excuse.

So for this blog, I wanted to do a catch up in the week of my life from graduation - as this turned into a crazy, long week. Not the easiest of welcomes into official graduate life if I'm truly honest!

Monday:

In my head, graduation was going to look like the scene from High School Musical where they burst into song and it's all very emotional. The start of graduation included me being dropped off at campus by my parents on my own, standing in an Oh Polly dress with no idea where I was going. Then, the stress of getting photos, which can only be so nice with the cap and coral, navy toned gown - who is deciding that colour scheme? I didn't really feel emotional as it all felt a whirlwind and I actually appreciated my time with my parents at the end of the evening. I recommend Haggle in Norwich, the food was 10/10. The perfect conclusion to this day was me sat in an near empty spoons with my parents doing tequila rose shots before heading to bed. Even they needed the shots.

Tuesday:

The exhaustion of graduation hit me this day, I felt like I had been hit by a bus. I didn't really feel like I had caught up with my friends during grad properly so it was nice to hear similar stories of feeling stressed. However, I did have a grad sort of event to go to that evening so had to perk up very quickly. Now, I will say my friends and I drank a fair bit but we don't really remember what. I did check my bank account and had seen that I had about four vodka lime sodas - which I tactfully was trying to stick to but I don't think drinking just vodka all night is a good move. So yeah, not much to say about that evening.

Wednesday:

My friend and I experienced probably the worst hangover of our lives this day. Both of us were due to be going home and we set 3pm as a check in point for how we were feeling. By that time, we were still incredibly ill and couldn't get up to walk. We actually have no idea why we were that hungover and never really will. Although, I am thankful I didn't have to endure my hangover alone and we actually had the funniest day. My highlight moment was us dancing around the kitchen at 11pm when we finally didn't feel sick anymore - it's the little moments.

Thursday:

I travelled back home with the biggest suitcase ever, to the point where a woman on the bus asked me where I was going on holiday. I said it was my graduation and then she just nodded her head, to which I then said I did over pack, I know. However, that was probably the last journey back from Norwich I'll do with a large amount of stuff so go big or go home I guess. It did feel weird being back for a week and not to be soppy but I have been emotional about leaving. Being somewhere for three years that has a lot of memories is hard to suddenly detach from, especially with an experience such as university.

Friday:

So this week increased in getting more random and existential. I had to go back to my old school to chat about life after sixth form, considering I'd been a graduate for about three days I didn't feel super qualified. Then in the evening, my mum had won a radio competition to watch a band perform in a sky line bar in London - boujee but I'm also terrified of heights. Most random celebrity cameo was Keith Lemon being there, so really felt I was partying with the 'stars' xox

Saturday:

I went to a lovely BBQ for one of my other friends graduating, which is rare for one of my friends to be a graduate at the same time as I did two gap years. However, it's comforting when you have friends in the same boat as it proves there is truly no rush to be doing anything.

Sunday:

So far today, I have been unpacking a mountain of dresses and I caught up on five hours of Love Island. I think I've been reflecting on this week though as feeling like university has actually finished which is a strange thought process, and not something you accept over night. For anyone sort of feeling the same, an analogy for it is that it's almost like being dumped from Love Island. The emotions are high, you've been in this intense bubble for three years and suddenly everyone goes to their home town again. However, you can still meet up with friends and it probably isn't as dramatic as it feels because being at university is ultimately an experience that comes to an end for everyone.

ANYWAY, those are my Sunday thoughts on the topic and I'm sure as time goes on maybe the nostalgic, sad feeling will just detach a little bit more everyday. For now though, I'm very busy focusing on what's ahead and hopefully can post more regularly for this blog.