How I got into uni after I thought I never would

Since most of my days are now split between inventing things we can do while locked inside the house, and which will satisfy a short-attention-span of a three-year-old, and finishing all my uni assignments, I have literally no time (or power) for any extra-curriculum learning. Sad, but that’s how it is sometimes. After all, we are all just humans, right?

Anyway, I thought I will tell u a little story of how I got into Uni after I thought I never would be able to. I wanted to write this post for a long time to shine some light on my past and maybe to inspire someone in a similar situation to mine.

Let’s start from the beginning though…

okay, not beginning beginning, just about 9 years ago. I was 18 years old, still living in Poland. As most school leavers, I had huge dreams. I planned on studying product design and going abroad to live in the UK (English language countries always fascinated me for some reason) I’ve met my husband back then too, and as it turned out, he also planned on moving away (stuff straight from the movies, eh? Happens in real life too 😅)  So off we went into the unknown. The reality of trying to live in a totally new country is harsh though, and my plans of applying to uni fall into a second plan, while we were trying to stay afloat, pay bills and well- just live. But every now and again, this unfulfilled dream of having a higher education nudged me and made me feel… incomplete? worse? it’s hard to name this feeling…

Life went by, we moved a few times from one city to another city and the next one too, trying to find our space in this world (still looking for it 😂🤷‍♀️), we got married and had our daughter. The unfulfilled dream? It was still there bothering me, maybe even more than ever since H. got born. It sounds cheesy, but I wanted her to be proud of me. And I wanted to be proud of me, too. But how on Earth would I be able to go back to school while taking care of a child and working part-time? I was certain this door is closed for me forever. And then.. one of my friends applied and got into uni. That friend also has a child and she was working! She gave me hope and a whole lotta inspiration! (You know who you are, as I was thanking you like million times 😘) I decided I am gonna try myself. You know, if she could pull this off, maybe I could too! My husband and family back in Poland were really supportive of my decision.

The process of applying…

is very different from what I knew from Poland, and it scared me a lot, especially writing a personal statement and getting someone to write your recommendations for you (since I graduated school so long ago, I asked my manager from work which she gladly agreed to do) I applied to 5 different courses on 2 local unis, and I waited…
On the 4th of Jan 2019 (yup, I still remember, that’s how excited I was) I got an email, 4 unconditional places! Me, they wanted me. I could not believe it. Choosing which course to actually go to took me some time, but in the end, I think I chose the right one.
Getting accepted was only a first step though. As a mature student with a small child, job and bills to pay, my biggest worry was how am I gonna manage it all financially and time-wisely. Every change of the timeline gives me a headache, but as my first year at uni comes to an end, I realize that what I thought will be my obstacle, turns out to be my power and motivation.
Sometimes I wonder what if I’d go to uni straight after graduating school, but then I wouldn’t choose the subject I am really passionate about and which will lead me to a career I believe is the right for me. I probably wouldn’t be so focused on achieving good grades and slurp the knowledge from everything possible.
I think everything happens for a reason. Those 7 years I spent believing I wouldn’t have a degree has taught me to fight for myself and my dreams. They made me a stronger person who found her voice and is not afraid to use it.

Live is not a straight line, and it doesn’t matter when you hit certain milestones. Everyone’s story is different and they are all beautiful. We just need to believe in ourselves and be brave to step into the unknown. 

*Featured Photo by Vasily Koloda on Unsplash
The post is using:
-photo by Mel Poole on Unsplash
-photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash