AS the final results of the EU referendum were confirmed, I cried.

I am a European citizen who's been living in Oxford for almost nine years, and this was a huge shock.

It was like going to bed in one country, and waking up in a completely different one.

I did not have a vote in this referendum and, as painful as it was, I didn't question it.

I can't deny that I would have liked the chance to have a voice in something that has such a huge impact on my life and that of my family.

Friday morning’s headlines were a confirmation that a majority of people had a very different view on a matter that I thought was unifying – much more so than for a general election.

Related to that was the feeling that we would not go back from here: what has happened, and whatever shape Brexit will take, has split and changed the country and its people.

The result feels particularly personal, as much of the campaign was fought on the issue of migration.

The real issue, let's not forget, was our membership of the European Union, with all the implications that has for Britain's economy, its politics, and the type of country it wants to be.

But the last few months were all about immigration.

I am an immigrant, but it was only on Friday morning that I felt all the weight of the word for the first time.

I am a very proud Italian, but I could be French, Greek or Polish – for some people, our nationality doesn't really matter.

We are all made to feel the same way: we are not “from here”, maybe we should “go back” to our own country.

This week's news shows a growing number of race-related incidents across the country – some of them directed at specific groups, others simply directed at anyone felt to be “the other”.

Thankfully this has not happened in Oxford so far.

This country, which has taught others what integration really means with its laudable history of migration from all around the world, is now moving in the exact opposite direction.

One of the interesting things about coming here for me was meeting second generation immigrants much older than me (this is unlikely to happen where I'm from, since immigration is a more recent phenomenon) and realising the invaluable contribution they make to society.

Seeing the mood of the nation change is very scary for the three million EU citizens in the UK, but also for everyone else – British and non-British – who believes in an open, welcoming and tolerant society.

Despite this, it's important to say that I feel hugely grateful to live in Oxford.

Not only did 70 percent here vote to remain in the EU, but living here has also allowed me to express my thoughts without being judged.

Not being able to vote didn't mean that I would just sit back and wait.

I felt the urge to do something, and I decided to volunteer for the remain campaign.

Canvassing across Oxford gave me the chance to meet a variety of voters on both sides of the debate.

On the morning of the vote, I walked along Walton Street in Jericho with a campaign board – it was heartwarming to see so many people ringing their bicycle bells, cheering from their car, smiling and thanking me.

When I was doing all these things, I didn't even think about how I would be received as a non-British citizen.

We should all feel thankful and proud to live in such a positive community as Oxford.

But we can't become complacent.

The UK needs to remain a tolerant and open place, and I am sure that both sides agree on this.

We should use the momentum that our community provides to make our voice heard – a lot is still to be decided, and there are meetings, events, and discussions happening every day.

Whatever happens next, we need to work together.