You know you're a UCA student when...

Oozing the sort of chic, fleek, and style that other unis can only dream of, the University for the Creative Arts has always been a pretty unique institution. To celebrate its finer points, final year student Jessica Mould is on hand with ten signs that you're definitely a UCA student.

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Ahh, UCA. You knew when you signed up that University for the Creative Arts wasn’t exactly going to give you the classic uni experience. It’s small, with just over 5000 students across all four campuses, it’s around 70% female, there are very limited teams and societies, and the campus locations aren’t exactly party capitals of the UK. This said - and as a Fashion Journalism student especially - we often get a pretty judge-y rep from the arguably more academic, redbrick uni lot. But life for us creative students isn't all selfies, stilettos and sitting around reading magazines (not all the time, anyway). Behold, 10 classic signs that you’re a UCA student.
 
It’s totally normal to witness floor-length fur coats, velvet thigh-highs and guys in 6-inch platforms on your way to a lecture.

It’s when you show up in joggers and Uggs that you will receive an abundance of dirty looks.
 
Everyone is contoured to perfection and eyebrows are always on fleek.
Because hungover or not, the ‘undone’ look is not chic.
 
You spend more money on coffee than real food.
The effort of attending a 10am lecture whilst juggling a dissertation, two internships and a part-time job, can only be made bearable by a latte the size of your head. A valid Starbucks card is obligatory for any UCA student.
 
Fashion Week is the devil.

Let the catfights commence for one of those limited, sought-after Fashion Weekend tickets that your course leader is giving out. And if you decide to take on a Fashion Week internship, prepare to work your fingers to the bone (literally). On the plus side, you essentially get a week off uni whilst your tutors attend shows.
 
There is ALWAYS a presentation.
Not a fan of public speaking? Everyone, then. Well at UCA, no project is complete without one. Queue shaky voice, bright red face and mumbling into your notes.
 
No one outside of UCA ever understands your course.

You will have to explain what your course entails to people outside of UCA over and over again.
 
You hear the word ‘innovative’ a million times.
It will feature in your top 10 most used words whilst at UCA.
 
You wear a fabulous new outfit only to be in uni for a five minute tutorial. 

Need I say more? No one likes wasting a good outfit on an insignificant day.
 
Every girl fancies the same hot guy on your course.
Mainly because being both male and straight means he’s in a minority.
 
You are always alone but you are never alone.
You spend countless hours slaving away to meet a deadline in the library, but looking around, you see that everyone else is doing just the same and you will always bump into a friend in there too.

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Good old UCA, where us creative people can truly be ourselves. And at the end of the day…

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Looking for a for your first job out of UCA? Check out BrighterBox's creative graduate jobs!