UNIVERSITY

So, I am writing this to all of you still at school. Or those of you who are still planning on going to varsity at some point, or making the scary change from school to university, because I have just done it.  

Firstly, I am so so excited with the course that I am studying! I am studying medicine at UCT which is literally something I've dreamt of for so long and thought was completely impossible, but somehow, with lots hard work and whatever else it took, I am now studying the course I wanted to do more than anything at the best ranked university in Africa, which is where I've wanted to go since I was little. So I have been incredibly lucky. But wow, university is just SO amazing! It is a million times better than school and looking back, even though I've barely been at varsity for a month, there is just no comparison to how much more mature you feel and how exciting it is! But to put that in perspective, let me start by saying that I loved school, every grade, all my subjects, the best times with my friends, etc. and so I wasn't sure if I would prefer university to school. But there is just something about it, there are no more silly little rules, or teachers breathing down your backs which is so nice, and everyone treats you like you are an adult, not a child; you know, like if you don't do your work, that's your problem, they don't care, that type of thing. The second thing about varsity that is so amazing, is everyone is studying what they want to, so almost everyone is so passionate about their courses and you are actually learning things that you want to learn and that you find interesting. It is nice to meet new people as well, but I must say that one of the hardest things that I have found leaving school is not being able to see my friends everyday.  4 of my closest friends aren't in Cape Town anymore and whilst I do have two really great friends doing medicine with me, it has been really hard to not see the others. 

I am just loving the campus life, and I kind of just wanted to make a post of it because I feel like I haven't shared enough of the massive change I've had over the past few months! After my school valedictory (graduation), writing final exams, going on a MASSIVE holiday (that is the best holiday ever, to all you South Africans who'll have it too, make the most of it, never again will you really have three months off to do absolutely nothing!), getting my final results, applying to universities and then finally the whirlwind that has landed me on UCT med campus, has all gone so fast but I am just so happy. 







  
One thing that I don't believe school could possibly prepare you for it the amount of work. We are covering 3 months of a school syllabus in one lecture sometimes! The work is crazy and I leave home at 6:30 and get home at 5:30 almost everyday, so it is very hectic! But despite all the hard work and the hours, I don't think I say enough to people how much I'm loving it. It is just such a change, and if you're ever in doubt of whether or not you should go to college, I promise you now, it's a lot of work, but it's all worth it because people are right when they say that they are the best years of your life. I have just started and I can already tell how amazing the next 6 years will be for me. 

This is the other side of our campus. 

So, I made this post, I guess, as some sort of thank you to whatever it took to get me here. Like I said, I was never expecting to get into this course, it's very difficult and I never thought my marks were good enough, but now I'm here and as cheesy as this sounds, I literally feel like my dream I have been chasing for the least few years has come true. I hope that this post isn't just a very personal reveal of what's going on in my life and that maybe you can actually take away something, or at least, maybe I've helped to make you excited for what's to come, because its bigger and better!

I've had this quote up in my room for a while now, and it is one of my favourites.