Final Fantastic Four

The last day of my exams also happened to be the last day that me, Meryn, Anna and Tom were all together as a four. Meryn was going home for a few days the next day, Tom went to France that Friday and Anna was a week away from beginning her long drive back to Italy. Awkward timings but we had one full afternoon/evening and we were determined to make the most of it!

My first port of call after I left the exam hall was obviously JCs for a pint. I met Tom there (our exams finished within half an hour of each other, how cute) and before long we were joined by Meryn and Anna. Poor Tom wasn't really in the mood for drinks, or anything that wasn't going straight home and celebrating by doing nothing, but he put on a brave face and finished drinking his pint (what a trooper).

We put our empty glasses back on the bar (you can quit your job as a barmaid, but old habits die hard) and then headed to Anna's car to let our afternoon begin!

Anna drove us through the windy roads (and one occasional burst of rain) to Rhossili Bay. Three years in Swansea and this was my first visit to the place that is not only the 9th best beach in the world on TripAdvisor (guys, Australia is also in the world, that's a pretty big deal) but also the first place to be designated an area of outstanding beauty in the UK. Three years, and I haven't been there once. 

Not anymore though!

We stopped in the pub overlooking the beach for some food. Tom is awful when he's hungry and the rest of us were reaching a struggling point as well so it was lucky we had the option of proper pub cooked food! Scampi and chips is always a win, especially when you're feeling the effects of one pint you had half an hour earlier... 

The next couple of hours involved being blown around walking along the coastline, while also trying to avoid the sheep poo that Tom was kicking at all of us. 

Yep, sheep poo. 

If he ever tries to convince you he either isn't secretly a 6-year old at heart, or that he isn't actually a farmer: ignore him. He's lying to you. He is both of those things. 

He may be a massive dork, but oh boy I love him. 

We tried to take this photo with a timer app as my phone was stacked up on our bags and coats.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

By the time we all made it back to the car, we were shattered. Well, everyone except Meryn. She finished her exams the week before so she was all healthy and caught up on sleep. And Anna is Italian so her blood is 3/4s caffeine... So basically it was just me and Tom half -asleep in the car, needing some no-revision, no-exams, stress-free rest.

SO we went back to our respective homes to have a little rest, and to give us time to get ready for the next part of our plan: drinks to celebrate!

It took us a while to choose where to go (and it took us all even longer to get ready) but we finally ended up meeting at Brew Stone, a fairly new bar in Uplands. The inside is all brick walls and rustic logs, chalk boards, drinks on walls and soft lighting after 9. Perfect atmosphere for celebratory goodbye drinks!

We ordered drinks and food, and then just sat for hours, talking and laughing and enjoying the evening. I felt so fancy with my wine (I've finally made myself like it!), although not quite as adventurous once Meryn's drink arrived and I saw it was literally on fire. It's never boring with her!

Hahaha aw I love this photo! Tom being stupid (and trying to ruin it), me being vain but also dorky, and Meryn's finger making an appearance in the top right corner. I'm not sure there's a photo out there that describes the three of us better. 

It felt so good to spend time as just the four of us one last time. So much has happened over the last three years. So much has changed, so many people have come into our lives, quite a few have left, old relationships have ended, new ones have started but we have remained a constant through all of that.

We've laughed together, cried together, stressed until it felt like all of our hair would fall out together, spent hours in the library together, on Wind Street together, shopping and talking and drinking coffee and celebrating and commiserating and being angry and being happy and everything else that has come with the absolute madness that is being an undergraduate student. There is quite literally no one else I could have wanted to spend time with and to end University with as my best friends.

They have made the last three years incredible for me, and I hope I've done the same for them.

Here's to all the years yet to come. I love you guys!