It’s my second last blog for Loughborough University and I’m writing all way from Australia! YES, I’m back in Sydney!

So remember in my last blog, I mentioned that I had finally set plans for after graduating? Well this is it! After months of deciding whether to do a Masters, apply for grad jobs, or travel, I chose travel. I’ve already spoken a lot about how much of a positive impact Loughborough’s study-exchange had on me last year, so I wanted to come back to Sydney, but this time to experience life as a postgrad on a working holiday! You can read more about my study abroad experience here!

Before I left the UK, it was my 21^st Birthday on the 21^st of August, and I was lucky enough to have three different celebrations! First, my sister threw me a travel-themed party at home with 21 presents ,all wrapped in map-print wrapping paper. She even got me a huge, personalised balloon to go with the theme. Oh, and the cake she made was yummy too!

The other celebrations were with friends. On the evening of my 21^st, I met up with friends from home (Birmingham), and on the weekend I went to Manchester with some of my #LboroFamily. It was so nice that friends made the effort to travel and see me, but the goodbyes were sad. My good friend, Helen, travelled a good few hours all the way from Kent to Birmingham, just to say bye! In first year, I didn’t really believe the cliché about making your best of friends at uni, but after my 3 years I can honestly say that it’s is 100% true, especially in such a close-knit place like Loughborough.

Whilst at uni, I kept in touch with my Drama teacher from sixth-form and always visited to help out during uni holidays. Before leaving for Australia, I went to see her and I took baby Heba along with me. It was so warming to hear how proud she was to see me complete my degree.

When I went to Sydney last year, I went alone but still had the best time. This year, I took one of my best friend’s with me, Katie! For those of you who were at Loughborough over the last three years, you might remember her as the girl who served you at the library café (hehe). We studied the same course and we coincidently lived in the same halls in first year! It’s great to be able to take a friend to a place that means so much to me!

Like last year, goodbyes to my family at the airport were sad yet again. Mum was the first to burst into tears, obviously. I left with a heavy heart, especially as I left behind my beautiful baby niece. I miss Heba beyond words, but we FaceTime regularly and my family always send me videos of her. She’s grown so much within a month of me having gone.

On the way to Australia, Katie and I stopped in Dubai and Bangkok for a few nights, to break up the 22 hour journey to Oz.

Our friend Kes, (also from English and Drama at Loughborough), travelled Asia for a few months after graduating. When she heard we were passing Bangkok, she booked a spontaneous flight to come and see us! It was crazy to be reunited in a completely different part of the world. It’s insane to think that none of this would have happened if I didn’t choose to go Loughborough!

Reuniting with my Australian friends is one of the highlights of my trip so far. Everyone was screaming and jumping with joy.

I’ve recently got an office job here in a Law firm, which is completely different to any work I have ever done, but I’m keeping an open mind. I guess that’s the beauty of English and Drama, it’s so transferrable. Working life is a massive difference to the laid-back student life I was used to. The 8am starts and 5pm finishes were a shock on my first few days, but I’m getting used to it.

At the moment, I have no idea how long I’ll be here. It could be 3 months, 6 months, or even a year. I’m taking things one step at a time, and making decisions along the way. For now, I’m working hard and enjoying the beaches, although it’s been pretty cold and dull over the last few days.

I’ll keep you updated next month, when I’ll be writing my FINAL ever blog for Loughborough, so see you then! *CRIES*