Ave McKimmie

Ave is undertaking her master’s in pharmacy at LJMU and is one of thousands of students who travel from different parts of the UK to study in Liverpool. It’s not always easy settling into university life away from home, but Ave like so many others, has embraced the city and made new friends.

She features in our ‘Humans of LJMU’ series in collaboration with the ‘Humans of Liverpool’ social media account, sharing the stories of the people who make our city, communities and university the vibrant, inclusive place it is in celebration of our bicentenary year.

In her interview she reflects on moving from Scotland for her studies and how she is adjusting to the next chapter of her life at LJMU.

Ave’s ‘Humans of LJMU’ interview

“Loneliness was a big struggle for me when I first started university. I am from Aberdeen, so I didn’t know anyone here at first. It’s very easy to just sit by yourself and get quite lonely. You really have to put in the effort, force yourself to do stuff and go speak to new people and try new things. I found sometimes I’d spend the whole weekend in my home. A lot of my friends back in Scotland are all together all the time, which is quite hard to see when you’re so far away and you’re trying to embrace a new place.

“But I have made some really good friends now, it’s quite easy to meet people here because everyone is so friendly. In Liverpool, you can make a new best friend every time you leave the house. I love the night life here. You meet so many other students from Ireland, the Channel Islands and all over the UK. It has been great to meet heaps of different people from different backgrounds. It’s not a little bubble, everyone makes you feel included.”