The Importance of Women Supporting Women and How Friendship Makes Learning So Much Easier

 

Today I arrived at Uni just after nine. I’d left home early, thinking two hours before my workshop would be plenty of time to find a space, park, walk to campus, and settle in the café. It was. I arrived with over an hour to spare, which felt perfect. A rare pocket of peace away from the chaos of home life, kids, cats, and Polly dog.

My friend from last year, my “Uni girl”, messaged to say she was also on her way to the same workshop but struggling to find a space in the overcrowded car park. With twenty minutes to go, I was worried she wouldn’t make it. But in the nick of time, she arrived at the café, flustered and frustrated.
Understandably so, the car park had been closed off despite there being plenty of empty spaces.

We made our way across campus to the lecture room, chatting about mundane things, the weather, parking, coffee. But it was nice. Comforting, even. It felt so much better not to be on my own.

Then came the news: the workshop had been cancelled. Suddenly, we had two unexpected hours to ourselves.

We could have gone our separate ways to study alone, but since the room had been left open and no one else was using it, we stayed. We sat down, unpacked our notes and the cake I’d brought along. Her birthday had been the week before, and mine was coming up next week, so it felt fitting to celebrate in our own small way.

So we sat, shared cake, swapped stories about our boys (who are about the same age), laughed about the chaos of motherhood, and quietly reflected on our studies. For two hours, we learned not from a tutor or a PowerPoint slide, but from the kindness, empathy, and encouragement of one another.

There was no pressure, no competition. Just peace, understanding, and friendship. A mutual desire to lift each other up both in our studies and in life.

Yes, we missed an important workshop about Law on Trial, but somehow, learning through the eyes of another mum another woman juggling a dozen spinning plates, felt far more valuable that day.

Women need other women.
We need those moments of calm with people who get it ,who understand that what we learn at Uni isn’t just academic. It’s emotional. It’s human. It’s connection.

I’ve had many friendships with women over the years, and only a few have truly lasted. But after today, after sharing those two hours of laughter, honesty, and shared learning, I think this one might be here to stay.

Well worth missing a workshop.