Caps and gowns, people dressed to impress, and photography in the hub all means only one thing: graduations have happened at the uni! It’s generally a time of happiness and celebration, and being a part-time student who’s switched degrees, I’ve seen a fair few of my friends graduate, but it does sometimes play on my mind.

I really do love seeing my friends graduate. They’ve been through so much to get there and deserve nothing more than to spend the day with fellow students, in graduation gear and surrounded by loved ones, but after the excitement and congratulations have died down, my mind turns to myself, and I can’t help but wonder when that will be me.

Watching the people around me graduate, I remember that I have at least two more years of part-time study before I can get that coveted piece of paper, and I can’t help but feel a bit crestfallen.

I’m learning to accept that things don’t take the most obvious route, and that life is complicated. For me, I know that everything I’ve done has shaped me; I wouldn’t change a single thing that’s happened in my past.

In the end, even though it can be a bittersweet thing to watch, I remember that everything good takes time and effort, and this feeling will pass. I’m doing what I’m passionate about, and part-time study is all I’m able to do at the moment. So I celebrate the wonderful people around me graduating, take a breath, and remember that someday I will wear that cap and gown.