EU referendum: Britain’s students share mixed reaction to historic result

The British people have voted to leave the European Union in a narrow 52 per cent victory, and students at universities around the country have spoken to the Independent, expressing their hopes, fears, and grievances as of one of the most engaged and affected groups in society in this historic referendum.

Amrit Kaur Dhadwal, 19, an English literature with politics student at the University of Surrey, expressed her shock and disappointment. Describing how the repetitive rhetoric of “taking back control of our country” from the Leave campaign “scapegoated immigrants,” she said: “The sheer fact is that immigrants put more into our economy than they take.

“Yes, the EU isn’t without its flaws, but the Remain camp acknowledged this through the suggestion of future reform. Now we’ve made a decision we simply cannot back out of. I feel this is just the beginning of a slippery slope downwards with catastrophic economic and social repercussions.”

Bianca Oravcova, 19, originally from Slovakia, has resided and studied in the UK since the age of eleven. The Lincoln University student is critical of the move from both immigration and business perspectives. An advocate of integration, she blogged on her experiences: “I have worked my butt off, working two jobs while studying full-time to get to where I am. My parents and I have left everything behind for me to attend university and, not only do they both work very hard in good jobs, they pay tax and give a lot back to the community.”

Every Saturday, Oravcova teaches a class of Europeans the English language, culture, and heritage and, as such, she has condemned Brexit for limiting the scope of projects like this which celebrate cultural differences and encourage integration.

With an international business management degree under her belt, and a European economics and business Master’s in the pipeline, Oravcova expressed concern at an “uncertain” UK business environment for graduates. She wrote: “You may suggest I leave the country and go work elsewhere. I can do that. In fact, I will. I really wanted to give back to the UK - to start my own company, increase employment, and motivate young people to do more. It’s a shame we will not have the support from the EU anymore. It’s crucial to success.”

Concern from European students does not stop there. Floor Jansen, a 22-year-old MA American Studies student at the University of East Anglia (UEA), and originally from the Netherlands, expressed feelings of anxiety and a sense of being unwelcome when the result was revealed Friday morning. Speaking to the Independent, she mentioned her fears for her EU peers who, she believes, will now be subject to heightened international fees if they wish to study in the UK, likely deterring them from making the decision to study here.

Dominic Price, a 20-year-old politics student and British national on an Erasmus semester in Utrecht in the Netherlands, also expressed disappointment over future students not having the same international study experiences he was afforded through EU Erasmus funding.

A strong supporter of the study abroad experience, Price told the Independent how the withdrawal of Erasmus funding would go some way to eliminate the valuable multicultural learning opportunities it has always provided, leading towards a more “insular and unrewarding” university experience.

Others, though, were angrier. Joshua Willson, 19, a second-year politics student at Portsmouth University, said he felt betrayed by a generation “who enjoyed the privileges of wealth and prosperity.” He added: “Young people’s lives have been made harder, and the generations who voted for this will be dead by the time its implementation takes full effect.

“I am devastated today; our little island feels much smaller, my rights and future feels that much less secure, and, now - more than ever - I am less-inclined to give up my seat for an elderly person on a bus.”

Recent geography and international development graduate from UEA, James Strutt, 21, described how the UK’s relationship with Europe in an ever-globalised world is as important as ever, so, as a young voter now facing a future decided by an older generation that voted largely on historic, irrelevant principles, he said he was “worried,” adding: “We’ve severed ties with a community of support and interdependence whose value is often underrated. If we had remained, the naysayers could always have called for a further vote. But how easily can we rejoin? It would seem fear and lies have won the day.”

Some students, however, bucked the trend. Connor Dyer, 20, a recent politics graduate from Lincoln University, voted to leave the EU. He told the Independent he criticised the campaign process on both sides, citing a lack of “hard facts, trustworthy statistics, and clear plans for the future” of the UK, and an “abundance of unreliable and misleading” statistics, alongside scaremongering from Remain. Dyer also highlighted the apparent “widespread misunderstanding of the role and power of the EU” among young people.

Ultimately, Dyer said: “The lack of trust I had for the Remain camp forced me to ignore scare tactics and risk potential economic downturn in favour of increased security and sovereignty.”

Charlie Lake, a 22-year-old history and politics student, agreed, Critiquing the overwhelming Remain stance of British students, he said: “It’s a shame the university establishment has too often spoken with one rather lacklustre, pro-Remain voice on the issue of Brexit. I’m relieved Britain - with its rich tradition of parliamentary democracy - has just clawed back its independence from absolutism.”

The debate, though, still too fresh for some, continues, as the leadership of major political parties, and relations between British states, are thrown into disarray. Voices from both camps show no sign of quieting and political uncertainty in Britain seems to be at an all-time high.

One thing’s for sure, however: the EU referendum result of 23 June 2016 has made political history - and our students have a lot to say about it.