You’re 20-years-old, the end of summer is nigh, and it’s time to start preparing for your second year at Cardiff Metropolitan University following a 12 month sabbatical.

At first glance, it’s a perfectly normal situation that thousands of young students can empathise with.

But for Jasmine Joyce of course, this has been no ordinary summer. And the past 12 months, have been no ordinary sabbatical.

Indeed, since returning from Rio De Janeiro earlier this month, the first ever Olympian to emerge from St Davids has endured a surreal few weeks. ‘Welcome home’ banners have been draped around the City, Facebook and Twitter messages have been received in their thousands, and short strolls to the local shop have taken anything up to an hour.

“The support has been amazing,” she told me, when we met at the venue that first introduced her to rugby union as a seven-year-old, St Davids RFC.

“Things have started to settle down now but it’s been an insane time.”

But have her achievements, and her place in Olympic history, sunk in?

“Everything is still a bit hazy and it’s surreal to be back in St Davids now.

“But now the Olympics are over, I think it’s finally sunk in that I’m an Olympian and it’s a great feeling.”

And to put her new stature into perspective, only this week she was invited by Lee Byrne to assist with the running of one of his rugby camps for youngsters in Cardiff, along with Shane Williams and organisers Man-up UK.

“I couldn’t believe that he was asking me to help him, and that both Lee and Shane were actually excited to see me.

“Four years ago I couldn’t have dreamt of meeting either of them let alone working with them.”

When Telegraph Sport spoke to Jasmine last month, she was preparing to fly with her Team GB 7s teammates to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, for a week of acclimatisation and training before heading to Rio.

“It was an intense week” she admitted.

“There were other athletes based there as well for their preparation, so it was very professional environment. In the last couple of days we tapered down our training before we switched to Rio and the Olympic Village.”

And it was the latter venue, which provided Jasmine with one of her lasting memories of the Games.

“It was amazing.

“I’d played in international 7s events before and the English girls had experience of the World Series, but the village was something none of us had ever been to so it was really exciting for everyone.

“As soon as got there we shared a lift with Andy and Jamie Murray, and then with Louis Smith. They were just chatting to us normally about what events we were competing in, it felt crazy.

“It was so nice to experience it all with other athletes. Team GB shared a seating area in the food hall so we were often sat next to rowers or hockey players and everyone just mixed so well.”

Sadly for Jasmine and co, they were unable to attend the opening ceremony at the Maracana Stadium as their competition kicked off the following day – with a tricky Pool C opener against host nation Brazil.

And it was played in an atmosphere, which Jasmine admitted she was not accustomed to in international 7s events.

“Many there were cheering the Brazilians but booing us, which is something you never really get with crowds in 7s tournaments. It was a bit disappointing in that respect but then we were all so focussed so it didn’t really affect us.”

And with Team GB leading 19-3 midway through the second half, Jasmine was given the call by coach Simon Middleton to make her Olympic bow.

The rest, of course, is history. Literally.

With her first touch, Jasmine sped down the right wing and provided a moment for her, Wales, and Team GB to savour.

“We were winning when I came on which helped, and I was more excited than nervous to get out there.

“It was an amazing feeling to score and I just jumped up and screamed. Not many people can say they’ve scored a try in the Olympic Games and to be the first Welsh player to do it was special.”

Later that evening, Team GB recorded a 40-0 win over Japan, although this time Jasmine’s second half appearance didn’t quite go to script as she was sin-binned moments after coming on for not releasing the ball after being penalised.

“In the World Series they are very strict on you releasing the ball the straight away when the whistle goes,” she said, managing to smile whilst explaining.

“I’m obviously not used to that but it taught me just to put the ball down straight away and get back!”

Regardless, it mattered little, and Team GB took their momentum into day two, winning their Group C decider with surprising ease as they brushed aside Canada 33-0, with Jasmine again appearing in the second half for the third successive game.

“The morale was so high after that.

“As a team we were exactly where we wanted to be.”

And sure enough, day two concluded with a 33-7 quarter final win over Fiji, setting up a semi-final with New Zealand on the third and final day.

At that point, expectations back home went into overdrive, with Jasmine and co on the brink of an Olympic final and a possible gold medal match with either Australia or Canada.

But as a squad, they weren’t getting carried away: “We didn’t speak about silver or gold because we knew we still had to beat New Zealand. But we knew it was a game we could win.”

However, after leading 7-5 early on, two sin-bins on the brink of half time effectively ended Team GB’s chances, with the All Blacks battling back to lead 22-7. This time, Jasmine was coming on in the unfamiliar position of Team GB being behind.

“I wanted to make an impact and tried to get as involved as possible.

“But by then the game was up. If you go down to five against seven at any point in a game of 7s then it’s always going to be very difficult to come back.”

And crucially, the former Ysgol Dewi Sant pupil admitted the semi-final defeat took a lot out of the side mentally as they tried to lift themselves for a bronze medal play off with Canada.

“We felt we were at the same level as New Zealand and it would just be a case of who was better on the day.

“I don’t mean this disrespectfully to Canada but in their semi-final they were facing the favourites and World Series champions in Australia, so I don’t think their loss would have hit them quite as hard.

“I think it was a lot more difficult for us to pick ourselves up.”

Seemingly so, as a rejuvenated Canada ended Team GB’s medal hopes with a 33-10 win.

“They were the better side and put so much pressure on us when we tried to attack.

“We just didn’t play to our strengths.”

But at least for Jasmine, there was another moment to remember as she crossed in the corner for another Olympic try in the second half, although admits the feeling this time was a lot different.

“It was a case of putting the ball down and then running back to go again as we well behind by then.

“It wasn’t the result we wanted or deserved after the way we played on days one and two.

“The defeat took a while to sink in but we went to Bello Rio Hotel that night and had a few drinks and tried to enjoy ourselves.

“And the next day we all knew we still had five days in Rio and we were determined to make the most of it.”

Sure enough, the Olympic experience didn’t end there for Jasmine because as well as supporting the Team GB men’s 7s team as they went on to claim silver, the squad also attended Basketball, Hockey, Athletics and Diving, amongst other sports, before travelling home.

Tentatively, I asked if on reflection, she felt any lingering frustration at appearing as a replacement in all six games and not starting.

Her answer was swift.

“Not at all.

“I have only been in the set-up a year and those who started ahead of me had so much more experience.

“I respected the coaches’ game plan and I knew my job was come on and inject speed and make ground – and I’m happy with how I performed.”

But it wasn’t just on the field that Jasmine impressed. Her status as the only Welsh woman in the Team GB 7s squad, had ensured constant media attention both in Rio and back home.

And in a World where professional sportsmen and women tend to be so tediously media trained, she won many friends with the way she appeared to speak honestly and from the heart.

I told her I sensed throughout, that I was watching a young woman who was literally ‘living the dream’.

“I think it’s something sports people need to do more of,” she said, refreshingly.

“It’s much better to be yourself and if people don’t like it they don’t like it.

“It was busy in Rio for all of us and our media officer was constantly calling us over. But it’s positive for me to have media coverage and I enjoy interviews now – I used to hate them.”

Of course, being in a 12 month camp with professional players can only serve to help in more ways than one. Sure enough, it was clear to see at the Olympics that Jasmine is considerably more than the speedster that defined her younger playing days.

“Before I started the programme a year ago I was half the player I am now.

“Back then my defence was poor but the coaches have told me it’s one of my strengths now. And I’ve learnt to use my size to my advantage, in 7s you don’t have to be the biggest.

“I hope now I can take all the experience and professionalism back into the Wales set-up.”

Which brought me onto my next question, what next for Jasmine Joyce?

As I suspected, I wasn’t talking to someone about to sit back and be content with what she’d already achieved.

“With Wales the 7s and 15s programmes aren’t split so I hope to be in contention for both.

“I’m joining Bristol Ladies RFC next season which will be an opportunity to play more high profile rugby.

“There is so much to aim for in the next few years with the World Cup, the 7s, and of course Six Nations.”

I tried to ask if she intended to again represent Team GB at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo – but barely had time to finish the sentence before the expected answer of ‘yes’.

Jasmine still intends to return to Cardiff Met University next month to complete her second and then third year of studies, and is under no illusions about the necessity to negotiate training when studying.

“It will be hard to adapt I know that and I will have to juggle studies and training. I know I’ll have to be disciplined but I’m prepared for that.”

But that is all to come. For now, she deserves some time of reflection, and fittingly, our last conversation of the interview was perhaps our most touching one.

Jasmine was supported throughout in Rio by her parents Jason and Bethan, and Grandfather Ted Joyce, something that only served to add to the fantastic experience.

“There was a time I wouldn’t have dreamed I’d be going to the Olympics – and they wouldn’t have dreamed they’d be coming out to watch me.

“When I found out they were booking flights I was so happy. Just having them there, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

And it is the latter sentences that signify Jasmine’s character the most. Her achievements already speak for themselves, her place as the first ever Welsh rugby player to appear in the Olympics is already etched in history for evermore.

However, while you sense a clear focus within her - there is no arrogance, no air of superiority, and above all else, no forgetting where she has come from.

It doesn’t need me to laud her playing ability and talent – that has already been done by experts considerably better placed to do so than myself.

But a year ago she joined the Team GB Olympic set-up as a modest, down to earth and likeable individual.

Twelve months, numerous international tournaments, two televised tries, and one historic Olympic Games late – she has returned to St Davids as a modest, down to earth, and likeable individual.

And I can pay no better compliment to her character than that.

Last night (Friday), a welcome home party in Jasmine’s honour was held at St Davids Rugby Club. In front of almost 200 guests, Club Chairman Colin Reynolds introduced Jasmine and praised her achievements, before further speeches and presentations were made from the Mayor of St Davids, Councillor Chris Taylor, Bill Preece of the Penknife Club, Jasmine’s former junior coach Carwyn Richards, and her former PE teacher in Ysgol Dewi Sant, Rachael Thomas. Jasmine herself then thanked everyone for their “fantastic support.”