Welcome to all the new students and those returning to the University of Winchester.

I'm not going to lie, I've enjoyed freshers fortnight yet again this year. The enthusiasm, energy and ability to open yourselves up to every new possibility is inspiring.

Seeing thousands of people passionately proclaiming their love for Winchester, their expectations and dreams which are now associated with the old capital of England is fantastic, and makes me renew my love for the city every year.

So many ideals and memories are wrapped up alongside images of student rooms overlooking the South Downs, King Alfred's statue, ceremonies in the cathedral and balls in the Guildhall.

This is the time of your lives and you've chosen a great place to live it.

So, chuck a few kebabs around, brawl a little, take up every car parking space in Stanmore, and eat more pizza than most Italians annually would - but never lose that passion for your university city.

It's an incredibly special place in which to live out the 'time of your lives', and you should treasure every moment.

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Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here