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Staying close to home

There were many reasons why I wanted to study at Bristol, but the main reasons were the University’s reputation and location. I also love the city itself and, as I live just outside of Bath, how close it is to home.

I made the decision to live at home and commute to classes. However, this choice came with a lot of questioning from friends, family and school teachers – one even told me that I was making a huge mistake as I wouldn’t get the ‘normal’ student experience and my social life would suffer.

The best of both worlds

I was worried that by living at home I wouldn’t meet people, but it’s been so much better than I expected. I realised almost straight away that there was nothing to worry about. I joined societies to meet people and made some really good friends.

I still get to experience life in Bristol – I love sitting in the study spaces on campus and going to coffee shops with friends. I’m being exposed to new things and experiences, and the only difference is that me and my friends go home to different places at the end of the day. 

Because I commute, sometimes I feel like Hannah Montana because I get the best of both worlds! I can live the city girl, uni life with friends, going to classes and socialising and then come home to the countryside and have a home-cooked meal with my family.   

I did not feel like I had to conform to what was stereotyped as a ‘normal university student’ because that stereotype does not exist; every student has a different experience, a different narrative.

My story may not have been conventional, but I did not feel at a loss socially or academically just because I chose to live at home. University is what you make it and what you want it to be, not what someone else or a stereotype tells you it should be.