Today, like most days in final year, starts with a library session. I know that if I spend too long in there, there’s a real risk that I’ll lose it and throw a textbook at the person tapping their foot against my leg, or the constant sniffer, or the pen-clicker… so I’ve arranged to take a break and meet one of my buddies for a drink in Room 76. We catch up over brownies and I check that everything’s going well with her flatmates and seminars. Although I love listening to her tell me all about life in Milan (the jealousy!), she’s not completely confident with her English. I show her the Centre for Language Studies in Arts A where she signs up for the free English lessons for international students, which takes a weight off her mind. Before we go our separate ways for afternoon lectures, we agree to go to an Active US volleyball session together at the weekend. She loves volleyball but I have little experience of it, so it’ll be a great way to spend time together while she teaches me something. The Buddy Scheme often has me trying new things, like paddle-boarding.

When I’ve finished uni for the day, I’m ready to relax. My Austrian buddy has never seen rugby before so I bring him along to the pub where I’ll be watching the England match with friends. Sitting in my local with a pint in his hand and a World Cup scarf on, he couldn’t look more acclimatised to life here! By the end of the first half he understands the rules far better than I do. He’s used to making friends so he slots into my group easily, getting to know everyone and telling them about where he’s from and the sports that they play. I may not know how to play rugby, but I’ve successfully shown him how most Brits support the game.

After dropping him off on campus and heading home, I’m tired. It’s been a good day and I know that my buddies have enjoyed sharing parts of it with me. I look forward to seeing them again soon and meeting the other friends that they’ve made here.