Tuesday evening, I zipped through on the train from Edinburgh to Stirling after work (still feels strange to say that!) and met my family at the station. I got a blessed night in a hotel - a stark change from the student halls I had been staying in temporarily - and a free breakfast the next morning before we all piled into the car and drove to campus. 

It was a lovely day, despite the splattering of rain towards the end and the fact that the entire ceremony reminded me of a school assembly... I was 'doffed' by none other than James Naughtie (it was bizarre putting a face to the voice that lilted out of our kitchen radio as I powered through the International Baccalaureate) and the keynote speaker was Dr Rita Colwell who was being given an honorary degree for her contributions to marine biotechnology and and environmental microbiology. Super interesting woman, very glad I had the opportunity to hear her speak.

Above all else, it was so wonderful to see all my friends again! I brought my 'goodbye book' - the notebook I've had at every leaving day and graduation I've had since I was 10 - and received some very lovely and heartfelt messages. Everyone was in good spirits and overall it was a brilliant day!

When I wrote In 10: Fourth Year, I didn't know whether I would be in England or Scotland, if I'd have a job or if I'd still be applying for them... All I really knew was that I really didn't want to leave Scotland. At all. I was predicting getting very emotional at graduation but having crossed the "so what are your plans after uni?" bridge by the time graduation came around, I was on much firmer footing  and therefore wasn't a teary mess... 

That's not to say I'm not sad to be leaving Stirling! I've made some amazing memories here and met lifelong friends. I'll miss orienting myself using the Wallace Monument, quiet walks around the loch to clear my head and the incredibly distracting view of Dumyat from the psychology labs...

So here's to four freshers weeks, 22 exams and approximately 60,000 words in essays. To ASH, Wallace Street, Haultain Street, Pendreich Way and Willow Court. To studying in two of the most beautiful countries in the world and climbing to the roof of Africa. To moral support, face paint, sea monkeys, climbing into buildings through windows, roast dinners at midnight, ceilidhs, pub crawls, adventures in the snow, impromptu road trips, hikes to the viewpoint, bonfire nights, open mics, zoo trips, barbecues, Game of Thrones viewings, pumpkin carving, flat banquets, and last but not least, a cardboard cutout of Zac Efron.

Time passes – Gardeners die – They are remembered