Luisa grew up a very active, creative and "noisy" child in Madrid, and went through some soul searching after finishing school.
"I finished school, and I was a bit lost. I started a general design course at a university in Madrid. But the course was very stiff, I really struggled with it and only lasted three months. I was looking for an adventure and was thinking, 'I want to go,' and then I applied to come to study in the UK. My first choice was Bournemouth Uni - mainly it was the beach and the surf was calling. I actually saw the Bournemouth Surf Club and then decided to come to BU."
Luisa moved to Bournemouth during Covid lockdown, which made her adaptation to Uni life as an international student challenging.
"I came to England and that was shocking. I came in September 2020, amid the Covid pandemic. There was all this paperwork and restrictions to getting into the country and then once here, I had to spend two weeks in isolation in halls. It was intense. I remember calling my mum crying, asking, 'What am I doing? Why am I here?'. It was hard, almost took the whole first year to adapt. But with the few people that I managed to connect with, we became very close."
With a passion for creating a community, Luisa got involved in SUBU’s clubs and societies early on, joining the Spanish Society and, of course, the Surf Club. Surfing was Luisa’s passion as a child and naturally become a key part of her university experience.
She signed up to the Bournemouth Surf Club on day two of her isolation. At the end of the year, she applied to be on the committee and became the Club Secretary, working on social media, graphics, posters, emails and admin for two years. And this year, she became the club’s President.
Luisa describes herself as a “SUBU child”. She enjoys getting the community together and is fascinated by the power of surf to create a powerful connection between people from different backgrounds. Luisa wanted to give as many students as possible that feeling of home and family at the Surf Club, which has been key to her university experience. She worked hard to offer club members new and exciting experiences, from short to long surf trips, camping, takeovers and adventures home and abroad and Luisa’s success as President this year was recognised at this year’s SUBU Awards winning both Club of the Year and 5 Star Club of the Year.
“I'm here for the community. We currently have about 260 members and I feel we have taken the club to a whole new level. You can't be cliquey about it, we're all friends -beginner or pro. Many people come struggling with their mental health and feeling on the brink of dropping out and this impact the Surf Club is making on their lives is so special, making it all worthwhile.”
Luisa’s experience is a great example of what SUBU’s clubs and societies offer students. A place to de-stress, belong, follow their passions, grow as leaders and make new friends! While creating a community, Luisa also learned many new skills and gained job opportunities.
“I have enjoyed learning more about community engagement and empowering our members to bring their skills to enrich the community. It has been rewarding seeing them grow with the Surf Club. Personally, I have learned so much about trips, events and social media and also gained many opportunities to do paid work– from being a student graphic designer for SUBU to delivering promotion contracts. I would like to pursue a future career of impact, where I feel my work is as rewarding as my time as the President of Surf Club.
“I have gained a 100% more than a degree. I have gained lots of experience, done things that I didn’t even think were possible; lots of friends, lots of memories.“
Want to find out more about Luisa's journey with SUBU? Watch the video below.
You can also find the full 2023/24 Impact Report here.