If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I graduated from Plymouth University back in 2020. We were suddenly sent home and rushed into our final seminars over zoom. My final assignments, including my dissertation, were all completed from my parent’s dining room table in the midst of the pandemic.

It feels like a long time ago now, and a lot has happened and changed across those 2 and a bit years since, but I’ve been feeling robbed of what was meant to be some of the best few months of my 20s. I had many plans for what I wanted to do with my final few months left in Plymouth, and how I wanted to celebrate with my course and housemates… but it couldn’t be done.

I tried to process my new life in the way I do best, through writing. I wrote blogs on; How to find closure, a Graduate’s Covid working life, Handling job rejection, Why being in my 20’s is so confusing, Feeling left behind, AND features on What students should know before they graduate, Virtual internships and graduating a year later, all just to express how I was feeling in this confusing ‘non-graduated but graduated’ new life in a pandemic.

I’m so so grateful that I finally got my graduation.

I have got a bit of closure on my whole university experience, and I only now feel like I’ve celebrated all of the hard work that I completed.

The night prior to the graduation, I travelled down to Plymouth with, my lovely coursemate and friend for life, Lily and her parents to stay on the Barbican (thanks again!!).

We then met up with Rebekah for some drinks and a good o’l catch up. It had been 2 years too since the three of us had been together in person and not just at the other end of a phone call or Netflix party.

On Thursday, my Parents and my boyfriend Will joined us in Plymouth ready for the ceremony.

I have to admit, I was most excited for the actual wearing of the cap and gown, we could’ve left it at that and I would have been more than content! I might have to go and do a master’s just to wear one again (joking –kinda!)

It was lovely seeing so many familiar faces from my course and hearing what everyone has gone on to do in the last 2 years. It’s funny, when you don’t see people so such a long time you almost forget they existed and then you see them and all these lovely memories come flooding back.

Post the ceremony and the trauma of having a class photo – it was such a long time to be stood up on a narrow stepped stand when you’re still wearing heels that you were ready to take off about an hour ago – we then went for some dinner at The Stable. The Stable was a firm favourite for a meal out during my time as a student in Plymouth so it felt like the best place to go before heading home.

All in all, a really lovely day! I feel so much happier reflecting back on university now that we’ve finally had our celebration and goodbyes.

A very happy Abi. Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout uni and made my time here amazing!