Going Back Into Education at 21

It was during my GCSE year at school that my body first decided to start being a pest and I was diagnosed with Non-epileptic Attack Disorder. I managed to finish the year with 5 GCSEs but going into college was a struggle. I was having seizures almost every day and ended up having to be hospitalised for an eating disorder I had. I only got my A-Levels because of covid-19 and everything was assessed via coursework.

Ever since then, I’ve been aiming to return, additional diagnosis' and chronic pain have made that challenging up until now though.

Anyone who knows me well knows just how much I thrive in education, I absolutely love learning and have always enjoyed school as a result. Ever since I had to leave I’ve been soaking up knowledge wherever I can, with free online courses and plenty of reading, but it’s never the same as being tested and challenged in an educational environment. I truly started to believe I would never return to education, but after 5 years of waiting, I finally think I’m ready.

Studying at The Open University is something I’d been considering for several years and a few months ago my partner suggested that now I'm not working it's the perfect time. So, I found myself on the website looking at my options. When I saw that they do a History & Creative Writing degree, I decided to be a little spontaneous, and perhaps a little reckless, and I applied.

The degree I'm doing is a three-year course made up of around 18 hours of studying each week, so I'm excited to not be so bored during the day.

I'm also excited to build confidence and remind myself that I am capable. The module is mostly about learning skills, things that I would have picked up during A Levels had I done the exams, like essay writing, referencing and keeping to a deadline. I think all the writing I’ve done for my blog and other publications will come in handy but I’m ready to build upon it!

I can’t tell you how happy I am to be in education again, let’s see how these next 3 years go!

Learn more about The Open University on their website.