A letter to first year me: Abbey

Posted on: 8 June 2025 by Richard Finch in Student experiences

Abbey is a Class of 2025 Psychology graduate. She looks back at her time at the University of Liverpool and thinks about what she would tell her first-year self.

Dear First-Year Me,

You’re probably feeling super let down right now because university doesn’t feel the same as how they described it in Sixth Form. You haven’t made new friends, you haven’t joined any societies, and its really difficult for you to take part in anything because you’re commuting from home. None of the assignments you hand in feel good enough, and you’re going to start wondering if this is the right place for you, even more so because you don’t know what you want to do in the future.

Stick with it, you’re not far off meeting some of the best people in your life.

Second year will get better! You will come out of your comfort zone a lot more and get involved with things you didn’t think you would have the confidence to. You will learn that some of the people you have known your whole life will come and go, and that is okay. Allow room for more growth!

Third year will change your life. You finally know that you want to be a Clinical Psychologist and help people who have had the same struggles as you. You will get offered a place on a master’s course for this, and your friendship circle has changed you for the better. For the first time you will feel proud of yourself, of what you have achieved and where you have come from. You will be happy you didn’t give up!

The best piece of advice I can give to you is that things always work out in the end. It may not feel like it at the time, but the people you meet and the experiences you will have will equip you with everything you need to get through it!

Good luck with everything - and try a Guild burrito a lot sooner!

Abbey