Goodbyes

Guys… it’s my last ever UCBlog post.

I’ve never done well at goodbyes. Coming from someone who cries at most things in general, saying goodbye is a toughie. I thought hard about what to write for my last post, and since I started off with my very 1st post welcoming you to my ramblings as a tourism student at the beginning of my second year, it only seemed fitting to go back to my roots, so to speak, and say goodbye. I hope the new bloggers love it as much as I have, and wish you all the luck!

It may sound like a pre-written speech at the Oscars, but there’s so many people I’ve met at UCB who have made it the most incredible, life-changing and rewarding 3 years, and I thank you all so, so much for making it special. My inspiring friends, the entire tourism team, marketing for giving me the chance to be a UCBlogger, all of the tourism organisations I’ve been lucky to meet and work with, and the food of course. I had a think about how much has changed since my first UCBlogger post, and if you’d have told me things I’d have achieved in that time, then I’d have laughed and probably rolled my eyes. So, here goes.

Debby,

You usually cringe at these sorts of things so it’s ironic that you end up writing a letter to your past self from your future self, you struggle with the idea of time travel stuff as it is. You’ve just finished your first year of uni and were amazed by how much you loved it. You knew from geeking out about your level 3 college course, that going to university for a foundation degree in tourism may hopefully open new doors, but you didn’t once think it would lead to you achieving beyond anything you’d have imagined.

From your first year at uni you went from being nervous about making friends and stressing about assignments, to making friends you will have for life, and stressing even more about the assignments… (you need to take a chill pill girl). I’m sooo happy to tell you, you achieve your foundation degree and go on to your top-up final year, but won’t get your classification for a few more weeks. Most importantly though you do finish your degree, yaay!

Your love for writing and taking endless snaps enabled you to co-create the first tourism Insta account and contribute to working on the Traveller@UCB mag. And since you obsess over travel mags, (your collection will pile up and drain your bank account), this will be one of the greatest opportunities for you to get involved with, and alongside your blog, opens up an exciting project with Marketing Birmingham. Unfortunately, your Italian lessons don’t improve, but you will take up a life changing volunteer opportunity in Tenerife where you will master three Spanish phrases – Me Gusta (I like), Potatas Fritas (french fries), Por Favour (please).

Your confidence with your class pals will grow more & by the end of your degree you have gained a group of caring and amazing friends that you will have for life. Three years together, you go through your degrees, new jobs, moving homes, countries and cities, engagements, break-ups, broken bones, rejoicing to the words “I haven’t started yet either”, karaoke nights, staying until uni closes and dancing on the third floor nights, wild nights, high school musical sleepover nights, late night stress calls nights, road trips, numerous selfies, and just generally being there for each other. You don’t know it yet, but by the end of your second year you will have made a best friend called Helina after working at the Resource Centre. You’ll also fly to Estonia to stay with her during the summer, and get an electric shock meeting some cows, it hurts by the way. You’ll spend 2016 travelling to so many different places, including ticking off a bucket list item – the Blue Lagoon! Remember the volunteer opportunity I mentioned? You get to photograph whales and dolphins in the Atlantic Ocean and visit a dog rescue centre where you want to take them all home!

You’ve always loved to help people, and using your blog to talk about anxiety and mental health will give you the idea to create a society called Positive Minds as a place for all students who have worries or anxiety, and for those who want to make friends but get nervous about doing so. The last 6 months of your degree are the toughest, and you’ll have a shift in life which makes you doubt yourself. You will get through it, and come out stronger than ever, I promise! Before you finish your degree, I’m so happy to tell you you’ll have secured a job as a travel consultant at Thomas Cook, go girl! You’ll still be writing here and there and reading of course. Unfortunately those summer plans you made to hit the gym every day aren’t going according to plan, but you take up a fun new sport indoor rock climbing and Bollywood / Bangra dance classes!

Like I said, you never imagined any of this when writing that 1st post as a UCBlogger, and I want to tell you how proud I am for everything that you will achieve, and I totes get if you’re a little sceptical of all this. You are thankful to all the people who you have met, your beautiful friends, those who teach you, and everyone who has made your time at UCB incredibly special (shout out to the guys who make the tastiest mushroom stroganoff, too). It will be the best 3 years of your life! Make those memories, don’t stress out so much, and finally don’t be so hard on yourself!

Love Debby x