Today I am feeling nostalgic. At the weekend I visited an old uni friend who I hadn’t seen in FAR too long. Although we had gone a long time without speaking we have one of those relationships where we could be apart ten years and nothing would seem to have changed. We chatted like we had never been apart and caught up 12 months of news in 2 days. Over pizza and wine conversation turned inevitably to reminiscing about our previous lives as students and housemates. We talked about people we hadn’t thought about since leaving uni 2 years ago, about days we would always remember and nights out we’d rather forget! We were both left feeling a sense of nostalgia for the student days we would never get back…. However, it was also great to see how each other’s lives had moved on, the new friends we had made, working and living in new places.

This sense of nostalgia has been added to today in the office as I have now started writing my handover which I will pass on to the new intern who starts in September, and will indeed take over the writing of this blog!  Although I am very sad to be writing the handover, it is also making me reflect on the year that has passed and made me realise how much I have learnt and the great times I have had. I remember starting out here and feeling overwhelmed by how much I needed to know, it felt like I would never learn everything. I am sure this is a feeling we have all had, however, of course, it is never actually the case. I remember sitting and frantically making notes as my predecessor took me through the processes for the tasks which were soon to become entirely my responsibility, (a scary thought at the time!) I can’t believe that I am now in a position to do the same, to pass on and build on the knowledge I have acquired over the last 12 months. Writing the handover has also made me think about the great time I have had and the friends I have made here. No doubt in a couple of years’ time I will look back to this year just like I did with my friend at the weekend.

Nostalgia, therefore, seems to be my theme for the week. Having said this, although I am sad to look back at days passed I am also excited for whatever lays ahead and grateful for the opportunities I have had, friends I have made and the skills I have developed.

Hannah