DO YA THING
DO YA THING
As it is results day I thought I would make you all feel better
by telling you how tits up mine was. For starters, the whole of sixth form we
had it embedded into our brains that uni was the only option and there was no
point attending uni if it wasn’t a Russell group. There was very little mention
of metropolitan options or apprenticeships, so the rest of us who weren’t 3x A student
felt inadequate.
I genuinely thought I would get into Leeds so was actually
really shocked when I didn’t get the necessary grades and felt panicked as I didn’t
really have any back up options. I needed ABB to do my course in Business and
Environment but ended up with A*CC and was rejected flat out. This was later
remarked and changed by a grade but after researching my options and weighing
up my secondary choices, I firmly wanted to go to Leeds Beckett.
This is such a TED talk, but GRADES DON’T DEFINE YOUR
SUCCESS. In life, you could get 3x A* and get no job offers because you lack
experience and social skills. Nobody wants a personality lacking droid to work
for them what good is that!!!
Social skills are priceless, obviously I am not saying that
if you are a genius you’ll get never get a job, but if you have everything
handed to you in life and never make mistakes, you’ll never have had to pick
yourself up and learn from them. Making time for other people and listening to
them increases your skills in genuinely useful areas such as team building, public
speaking and leadership.
We can all learn a textbook definition of something…but when
you get out a school environment you realise there is so much more to life than
regurgitating facts and figures.
My dad has one A-level
in woodwork. He has had the most amazing
career in TV, as well as building multiple houses on the side of that- if that isn’t
an example I don’t know what is.
Personality will carry you.
This is a nice story for people like me who have no
recognisable talents and feel useless sometimes. One day we were driving to
school and we went past a girl holding an instrument case, I did the classic “omg
I have no skills, I wish I could play an instrument or be good at a sport…etc” and then my dad came back with my favourite
line ever which was “she might be grade 8 at clarinet but I bet she cant walk
into a room light it up like you can” (socially). This is when the penny dropped
for me- you don’t need a certificate on a piece of paper to have talents or
life skills. Some things can’t be taught, and they are the ones you need to cherish,
as they will set you apart from others.
After uni when there
are no more tests, you are left with a set of results on a piece of paper like
everyone else, AND THEN WHAT… its then all the extra things that build you up
as a character. Whether it be volunteering, work experience, hobbies or even
just being a fuckin funny person. Employers will judge you on what you could bring
into their lives not just a set of results.
My main advice is something I didn’t personally follow and
have regretted ever since- TRAVEL . Have a gap year, it’s the best time to do
it, I panicked thinking I had to just go straight to uni and I don’t think I
was ready to be in that learning environment again so kind of rushed it.
Travelling might not be for everyone, but exploring
the world, managing a budget, meeting new people and experiencing different
cultures is so much more fun than the novelty of freshers. After a month at uni,
I suddenly realised that once I was settled in, I was literally back to note
taking, essays and lessons. Obviously, it is so different to school, but the
base was largely the same. Take away the halls, clubbing and loan, you are semi
at sixth form again for another 3 years. For me, I think I would have benefited
from a longer break away from that school structure to go explore different
countries. I guess I am writing this because I wish someone had told me how
amazing and rewarding travelling is, all my friends that have gone can’t wait
to go back and have made friends for life.
I guess the daunting thing about not going straight to uni is
that you may miss out initially, as you are stuck at home saving and working
while all your friends go off to start their new lives.
Don’t let that affect
your decision; in the long term you’ve got a debt-free year travelling, an
extra year of working/getting experience, a great tan AND you still have the 3
years at uni after all that when the rest of us are all broke and trying to
save to go…
On a more positive note, for people that are going straight
to uni, firstly well done that’s sick!! Uni is so fun like I have had such a
crazy year and you will have the best time. You’ll meet the worst and best
people in the world, you’ll blow your loan in the first 3 weeks and suffer the consequences
for the following 3 months.
This is my advice from experience- get a job asap and go to
lectures. I know that is SO boring but that is what saved me the most extra grief
from a potentially stressful year.
Having your own money from a job helps you stay away from the
bastard overdraft and gives you more freedom within your fashion or going out
habits.
As for lectures, go to them…. they cost just over £100 for
each one so why waste it. Yes, I know people tell you first year doesn’t count
blah blah, but you’re spending years paying that off anyway you might have well
of learnt something from it.
To conclude, I am a prime example of someone with average intelligence
and good common sense. I don’t necessarily get the best grades or have the best
knowledge of fuckin economics, but I am passionate and dedicated. I am so
motivated to do well for the world and make a difference. I want to see as much
as I can, meet as many people as I can and have presence. Do not worry if you don’t
go to a Russell group or even uni at all. Practical people that have gone straight
into jobs are so ahead of me already with genuine experience in that field and
money behind them.
Don’t panic, you have
so much time in life to learn from a book.
Basically, be an open person with a will power to work,
listen and make a difference in others’ lives and you will be more valuable to
the world than you’ll ever know. Whatever you choose to do over the next few
years, make the most of it and enjoy them, because soon you’ll be in a 9 to 5
(hopefully not but maybe) and will regret not going on that holiday or to that lecture.
