Graduating with a BSc in Global Sustainability, she arrived at Essex hoping to build confidence and gain independence.
Four years later, she leaves having completed a placement year, volunteered for more than 1,200 hours and become part of the first cohort to study the University's Global Sustainability degree.
"I never thought I would end up coming to university because of how much I struggled in the past to spend time away from home," she said.
She chose Essex because it offered the opportunity to experience university life while remaining close to her support network.
"I have always suffered from anxiety, so I didn't want to go far from home," she explained.
"Coming to Essex offered the perfect balance of pushing myself to live independently while still being near to home."
Her connection to the University stretches back even further. Her mother is a professor at Essex, and she spent time on campus as a child while attending the University's nursery.
"It felt like such a full-circle moment when I started my degree here," she said.
After taking a gap year and rethinking her future plans, she chose Global Sustainability because of its combination of science, society and real-world relevance.
"Sustainability is such a pressing topic and there are more jobs in the sector every year," she said. "I also loved the variety of the course."
Looking back, she says the friendships she built and opportunities she embraced made her university experience special.
Alongside her studies, she completed more than 1,200 hours of volunteering, worked with VTeam, supported Theatre Arts Society productions backstage, served as a student representative and student trustee, and took part in countless Students' Union activities.
"I have gone from not having much confidence in myself to living on campus for all three years of my degree and completing a full-time placement year where I really pushed myself out of my comfort zone," she said.
She credits several members of staff with helping shape her journey, including former personal tutor Professor Leanne Hepburn, who established the Global Sustainability course, and plant scientists Professor Tracy Lawson and Dr Amanda Cavanagh, who supported her involvement in the Gatsby Plant Science summer school and the STEPS plant laboratory.
As she prepares to celebrate graduation with family and friends, she is considering careers in sustainability and education while deciding on her next step.
"There is so much to get involved with at Essex," she said. "If you throw yourself into everything, you will meet the best people and get so much out of it."
