Despite the main focus of getting a degree to set you up for the word of work, other things happen at University that will change your life forever- such as making friends for life and in some cases- finding your future partner.
Weddings on Female First
A quarter of couples get together while at university and a third of these couples go on to get hitched to their university romance.
As the University of Lincoln celebrates its new Friends for Life campaign, they recall some of their student’s stories of love that lasted beyond graduation.
Michelle & Matt Buckley (both 31)
Matt actually said ‘no’ to Michelle, when she asked him out for a Valentine's day date, however he soon realised his mistake and now that are happily married and an example to us all that missing out on a valentine’s day date does not mean the end.
They met back in 2003 when Michelle enrolled in psychology after starting the course in Scotland. Matt was already on the course and they hung out playing pool and shared the same group of friends.
After the rejection- Matt then asked Michelle out at a house party. They spent their final year as a couple and married in 2014- Matt even mentioned his fatal error in his groom’s speech.
They now live in York and Michelle works as in information analyst and Matt is in software analysis.
Michelle said: “We spent most of the first year of our relationship sat in the Psychology labs writing assignments and our dissertations, punctuated with typical student nights out. After we finished university we moved to York where I did a PGCE and my husband began his career in software testing.
“We bought our first house together in 2011, got engaged in Barcelona in 2013 and got married last September. All thanks to the University of Lincoln!
“It's lovely to have those shared memories of our time at university and even now, 11 years on, we still have lots of conversations that start ‘remember at university when...’!”
Lucy (26) & Jake Flint (27)
Lucy and Jake met on their very first day at university when they moved into their shared halls of residence. Jake fell in love right away and Lucy’s mum was very vocal about her approval of him when they all first met.
They eventually moved in the same flat together and by Halloween they were a couple.
Jake got a degree in Media Production and Lucy qualified in Forensic science and then they moved to London.
Jake is now a video effects designer and has credits to his name like
Pirates of the Caribbean, Les Miserables and Kingsman: The Secret Service, while Lucy landed a role as a DNA Analyst, later progressing to a Senior Analyst, for LGC Forensics.
The couple stayed in London and now are partners in crime as they are business partners as well as romantic ones. Lucy set up her own bespoke handmade jewellery business Lucy Flint Design.
Lucy said: “We tied the knot on 17th August last year, then after five years in London, we decided to take the plunge and leave our jobs to set up our own business hand making and selling silver jewellery!
“It's a bit of a change, but with the transferable skills we learned at University, through our jobs, courses we enrolled on while in London and a bit of help from a practiced grandfather, our jewellery is selling well through our website and we are due to open our boutique shop and workshop in Melton Mowbray in the next couple of months.”
Ged & Charlotte Aspinall
Ged and Charlotte managed to get married, buy a house and have a baby all in the same year only two years after graduating.
They also met on their first day at university and ended up in the same student flat, becoming best friends.
Ged said: “Everyone thought we’d come to university as boyfriend and girlfriend, but we didn’t see that side in each other – we were just great friends!”
Ged left university with a qualification from Lincoln’s Design for Museums & Exhibitions programme in 2011, and moved to London to find work. Charlotte graduated with a degree in Health and Social Care.
“In January 2014 we found out we were expecting our first child, and decided to buy a house together in Woolwich, South London,” added Ged.
“Before the birth of our little girl, Aurelia, in September, we got married in Bermuda - one of my other best friends from university lives out there and we had already booked flights before we found out our baby news! My friend said they would organise the whole day for us if we wanted, which of course we did!
“It was a busy year but an incredible one. Our little family is complete...for now.”