It Has Been A Long Road But I Made It

I am officially a graduate. The day I’ve been working towards all these years has finally come and it was an overwhelming experience. Making my parents proud at my graduation has to be one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt. Right now this post is probably sounding like a fairytale but my university experience has been one roller coaster of a journey filled with highs and lows making it one of the hardest experiences of my life.

Let’s take it back to four years ago when I had just received my A-level results and received a place to study Business at Aston University. This should have been the most exciting time right? I did great in my A-levels and I was now going to be attending a university which was highly respected as well as living away from home for the first time!  I should have been so excited to start this next chapter but I wasn’t. Growing up in an African household going to university wasn’t an option or choice it was compulsory. In my parents minds their daughter was going to go to a “good” university, study a “good” course and come back and get a “good” job. That was their plan so when I initially told them I wanted to study media, a subject I had studied in college and was exceptionally good at I think it nearly gave my Dad a heart attack. His exact words were “study media for what? Where is that going to take you?” A media related degree which is often viewed by some as an “easy” course just wasn’t a part of their plan for their baby girl. In order to please my parents and make them feel settled I decided to follow their plan and chose to study Business at Aston University.

During my first term at Aston reality hit me quick. I was all the way in the midlands studying a course I had no interest in and completely hated it. I couldn’t tell anyone how I was feeling I knew exactly what their response would be... “It’s going to get better”. I continued to attend my lectures thinking I would eventually develop an interest for the course but I didn’t. After I completed my first term I went back home for the Christmas holidays, it felt so good to be back at home and far away from Aston. During my time back at home I received some devastating news that one of my friends on my course had committed suicide. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; it had only been a week since I last saw her. It had only been a week since we both jokingly discussed how much we hated one of our modules. I didn’t understand what was going on and till this day I still don’t understand.

This news had led me to become even more sad and confused, life was too short for me to be doing something that was making me unhappy so I plucked up the courage to tell my parents I wanted to change my course and move university. I had finally admitted that I had made the wrong choice, I had chosen a path that I thought would please the people around me and I was now paying the price for it. I thought finally telling my parents how I had been feeling would make everything better, I was wrong. They didn’t understand, in their eyes their daughter had become a university dropout. At this point I didn’t even care what they was thinking, I knew I wanted to start a different course and nothing was going to stop me.

During the Autumn of 2010 I started first year again at Brunel University studying 
Communications and Media studies. I was so happy to have a fresh start but I knew I had so much to prove this time around, especially to the people who questioned why I would leave Aston to go to Brunel University which wasn’t highly ranked in the league tables. My first two years at Brunel were great! I had made the right choice after all as I was enjoying my course and excelling in my exams and coursework, all the sadness I felt whilst at Aston seemed like a distant memory. Everything seemed to be going well until I was faced with another obstacle in my life and this obstacle became present right at the beginning of my final year at university. 

Final year is usually the time when students are completely focused on their studies having normally had a more relaxed attitude within the first two years of university, as your final year results account for 70% of your overall grade. During this time I was far from focused, personal issues I was experiencing at the time had dampened my spirit causing me to loose sight of my goals. The grades I had hoped in getting by the end of my final year seemed unreachable. I had given up and it was not only showing through physically as I had lost a lot of weight but it was also showing through my grades. 

After seeing my disappointing grades from my first term I thought it was all over, all I kept thinking was I may have to repeat the year again and that there was no chance of me achieving a 2.1 or 1^st class degree. At the start of my second term I realised it was time for me to put my own personal issues to the side, after all I had come such a long way during this university experience I wasn’t going to let this last hurdle defeat me. When you reach your lowest point all you can do is pick yourself up and fight through the difficult times, so that’s what I did. No matter what grade I would be awarded, I was happy I was able to pull through and overcome the many obstacles I had faced.

As results day came I was prepared for the worst as I clicked the link to view my award I said to myself “if it’s not the grade you want, be thankful and keep it moving because at least you made it,” I did make it! I made it achieving a 2.1! I can’t describe the overwhelming feeling that came over me, all the hard work had finally paid off. All the difficult times over the four years seemed so insignificant as I viewed my final grade on the screen, I could finally see the bigger picture and it was right before my eyes.

I’m happy for all the experiences over the past four years because it made me who I am today, I know it sounds so cliché but it’s the truth. I’ve learnt never to make decisions within your life based on other people’s opinions and I’ve also learned never to let a personal situation make you lose sight of the bigger picture within your life. My experiences have taught me to never give up when life throws curve balls or obstacles my way .

My university experience may sound like one big struggle but I must say I have had some of the most amazing times and met some lifelong friends during this journey. I can only speak on my story but I hope someone reading this who’s experience is somewhat similar to mine, realises that we all go through the same things. Keep God first always, do what you love and take control of your life.

 

I've added some pictures below from my years at university and from my graduation. 

Enjoy

AK

Aston University

First Year at Aston University

Filming My Final Year Project (Excuse my face i was NOT in the mood lol)

Me & My Youngest Nephew