When I started my degree back in 2018, I had no idea where it would lead. I knew I wanted to try my luck at moving away from home and decided that Liverpool would be the perfect medium place – part of England, but still only a 45 minute flight back home. I packed up as much as I could bring and started my new life in Liverpool…

Everything was new, the people, the accents and even the food (the concept of a chippy and a Chinese being in one single shop was entirely alien to me). But it wasn’t long until I began to settle. Things were different, but that wasn’t exactly a bad thing. I lucked out with some pretty decent flatmates, we were like our own little makeshift version of The Breakfast Club; The Weirdo, The K-Pop Stan, The Stoner, The Pretty One, The Melt, The Header and The One That Was Never There.

But it was through starting my actual degree that I really began to come into my own. I slowly managed to amass a group of friends from my course – doing a combined degree certainly helped because I got to interact from people from two separate courses. My lecturers were all so lovely and I was so excited to get started with my degree. It was difficult at first, the transition from A-Level to work. I had to completely wrap my head around referencing and how to make an essay sound remotely intelligent.

But the most exciting thing about the move was the city itself. Liverpool was so big and sprawling, so different and so new. But from the moment I landed I felt so welcome. People say Scousers are a friendly group of people and they certainly weren’t kidding. The people made me feel right at home in their beautiful city – one that was well accustomed to housing students.

I began the habit of describing Liverpool as ‘a bigger Belfast’ and I stand by that sentiment. Liverpool, for me, was the perfect combination of familiar and new. With so many iconic locations and beautiful sites, there was never a lack of things to do. And the food, good lord the food. Liverpool is one of those cities you could spend years trying new places and there’d always be more to choose from. With such an incredible range of cuisines and types of restaurants, there is absolutely something for everyone.

All of these things, over the last few years, have cemented Liverpool as a place I’ll hold dear to my heart for the rest of my life. It has given me so many memories and opportunities – and for that, I’ll be forever grateful.