Politics student Millie Simon reflects on her first term experience after switching from market town Hadleigh to the 'big city' of York

"Where's home for you?" 

"Um, you probably won't have heard of it." 

"That's Ok, tell me anyways." 

"Hadleigh?" 

Looks blankly 

"Um, Suffolk?" 

Starting to lose interest 

"Near Norwich."

Starting to regret asking 

"Where that ginger singer's from." 

Repeatedly having these conversations as a student at The University of York, alarmingly puts into perspective how irrelevant and closeted my 18 years of growing up in Suffolk really was. 

Having thought the undulating fields and frequent tutting at slow tractors was my entire experience of Britain, moving to the City of York was certainly a shock. 

Although York is a fairly small city in comparison to the likes of London and Manchester, it still felt overwhelming and intimidating in contrast to the small town of Hadleigh. 

The constant buzz from the York nightlife (which you would only vaguely hear In Hadleigh if you walk past The George or The Cock Inn on a Friday night), is a reminder that the small town I once knew, will never feel the same again. 

One unique pleasure of growing up in a small town is knowing almost everyone you pass on the High Street. Bumping into a family friend collecting their bread from Ferguson's Delicatessen or chatting to every single dog walker along the River Walk, even a simple "Good morning" or "What a beautiful day!" are small but meaningful details missing from people living in a city. 

I often find myself longing for the open fields of Constitutional Hill and the occasional spot of a cow or a horse, and so have made it my mission for the Spring Term to bring a bit of what I know of Hadleigh to my experience at York.

The infamous Millenium Bridge over the River Ouse and the Low Moor Allotments is an essential for countryside-grown students deprived of green spaces.  

After very quickly realising that a lot of people don't know where Suffolk is, let alone Hadleigh, I now view that period of my life as a precious secret that I get to indulge in a few times a year.

The early morning walks to Aldham Church and the tuna toastie lunches at Huffers with friends, are now only an occasional treat, reflecting a decade of what I once knew.  

I looked forward to returning to Hadleigh for Christmas break. The brightly lit Christmas trees along the High Street, the queue outside Andrews to grab the last turkey and the general hum of merriment from folks around town. 

Christmas in York is beautiful. 

The darkening evenings kept at bay with the glow from the Christmas Market, showed me the York community spirit that I had learnt from Hadleigh. And although the churches in Hadleigh are beautiful, the York Minster is phenomenal at Christmas.

York Minster Evensong in the run up to Christmas, was a moving and enlightening experience that is truly unique to York.  

And whilst I continue to hear comments such as "Suffolk? That's close to Hampshire right?", I'm grateful for the close knit community Hadleigh has given me and it will always have a profound and positive influence on my time in York.