Lex's story

‘I wanted to have a fresh start and meet some new people and really push myself out of my comfort zone.’

‘I wanted an adventure’

Originally from Kent, Lex knew that they wanted to move away from home for university. ‘My mum always told me that university is the best excuse ever to get out and find your own feet, so I decided that I wasn’t going to stay at home.’

A challenge in and of itself when a lot of the people Lex had grown up with were going to local universities. ‘The hardest thing is trying to get over your own walls,’ they tell us as we explore their decision to move away.

‘I’d never really been out of my bubble down south and I’d always heard good things about Liverpool. Some of my favourite films and music come from here. And I wanted an adventure to somewhere I’d never been before.’

‘So I ordered a Hope prospectus and the University just looked beautiful and all the testimonies sounded lovely. I thought that I could really see myself here.’

A look into the past

Coming to University may have been a big change for Lex, but one thing that has remained constant is their passion for History. ‘I’ve been in love with History since I could walk. My grandparents used to take me up into London and we’d visit all of the museums. And as I got older, I started watching period dramas with my mum.’

‘I’ve always been able to talk easily about History and get my opinion across better. So I picked my GCSE’s and A Levels so that I could study History at university.’

And their studies at Liverpool Hope have lived up to expectations. ‘It’s very personalised and you feel an overwhelming sense of support and care. If I ever have a problem, whether it be with lessons, studying for exams or something personal, I’ve gone to my lecturers and they’ve been nothing but supportive.

‘It’s really lovely and I never would’ve imagined it being this good but I’m really glad it is.’

Gaining confidence

And the support they’ve received whilst being at Hope, from both their lecturers and their friends, has helped Lex come out of their shell in other areas of their life. ‘I’ve been out of the closet for a couple of years, but I was very careful about who I told because I still had the ingrained feeling that they’d think of me differently.’

‘But a couple of people in my halls are also part of the community, so I joined the Queer Adventures Society with them,’ they explain, before going on to talk about what the society involves. ‘We have arts and crafts evenings, sometimes a games night, or we go for drinks - it’s great!’

‘Societies like Queer Adventures do make you feel much more confident because everyone is in the same boat.’

And having that support system around them has helped Lex to fully embrace their identity. ‘I wouldn’t have done that if I’d gone to a university closer to home because everyone knows me there. I wanted a chance to fully remake myself and everyone here has been nothing but supportive.’

A change for the better

Moving away for university turned out to be a change for the better for Lex. ‘My confidence was really low but when I came here, I knew that it was going to be a fresh start to meet some new people. And my confidence really has improved.’

‘I am extremely comfortable here and everyone in my flat is like family now. And Hope is an environment where I thrive. It’s really focused, everyone here wants to achieve something but at the same time everyone is your friend and is rooting for you.’