As we have seen students graduate from the University of Cumbria this month, we decided it would be a good time to take a trip down memory lane to see the graduation ceremony in 2016.

Graduation is one of the most important times in someone's life if they have been to university.

It is an opportunity to reflect on all of the hard work that has been put into achieving a degree, as well as reflect on the happy memories made living as a student.

This year's graduation saw a diverse range of students, including Rena Bijman, who travelled all the way to Carlisle from Dusseldorf to graduate, an overnight dash that took 14 hours to do via car as her plane had been cancelled.

Rena, 24, said: “I had to be here, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“It has been a very hard process to get to this point, spending the first two years in your home city in your mother language and then switching to come to the UK, to study in England. 

“The pandemic was also difficult.

“We all made it through a tough time.

“I’m so happy that we did it and could be here for graduation.”

READ MORE: 14-hour dash from Germany to make graduation after flight cancelled