Appreciating what you've achieved.

It is so easy to take things in life for granted: you're family, your friends, your health, your home, your job.
It's easy because things become routine. We get up everyday, say good morning to those (if anyone) in our homes, we get dressed in those nice clothes we can afford to buy, have breakfast with the food we are fortunate enough to eat, and go the work or school place which we are able to have.
It isn't until we see someone who lacks one or more of these things we have that we take a moment to sympathise with them, then reflect inward and appreciate that we have it.
Everything is so invaluable in that moment because we realise everything is so fragile and that we're lucky.
Not lucky in the sense that we've not worked for these things and earned them, but in the sense that we are able to have them when other people simply can't have them.

I was walking around work (THE GUARDIAN) yesterday, helping a college measure poster sizes for an upcoming event when I was suddenly overwhelmed by the fact that I work at the Guardian-how amazing is that?!
Of course I beam when I tell people and when friends and family ask me how its going I tell them "it's the best thing that's ever happened to me" but to stop and think that I have this beautiful opportunity is incredible.

It also occured to me to write this post having had a conversation with the other Guardian apprentices about our future if any at the company. It goes without saying that none of us want to leave-ever. But we felt a sense of pannic, how can we guarantee our places here? How? Someone please tell me! (Seriously if you have any fool-proof methods please let me know, a potion, a dance, a magic goat anything)

I also felt the need to write it as a few days ago, it was the anniversary of something. The details I won't go into, it's almost futile. But what happened caused me to be practically thrust into clinical depression. All I can say is I was headed a lot further down then how I was this time last year. Feeling (around September/October time) that I was in the absolute depths I never thought that I'd be able to survive another interview, let alone get up every single day and go to work.

So I suppose this post isn't just about appreciating what you have. It's about celebrating what you've achieved, even the little things (when ever I need to justify buying something I still use the excuse that I need to treat myself for getting into sixth form!)
I find that British people have the amazing ability to downplay, put down and find fault in nearly all of their achievements.

Take some time everyday to celebrate what it is you've done.
Ok so you don't know your exam results yet, but you got through them!
Ok so you don't have the best job yet, but you've got one.
Maybe you don't have a job but you're putting in a bloody good effort to get one.

Try hard and achieve. Appreciate your achievements and then celebrate them!

Ri

Results are looming!

Hi everyone,

So it's less than 3 days until A Level results day (dun dun dun!) and I am starting to worry!
At first I wasn't too bothered about my results because I'm not going to uni, but what ever qualifications you have are always going to be important. 
You might think you can leave school at 16 and step into an apprenticeship with 5 GCSEs but  a lot of apprenticeships will require specific qualifications; some may require certain A Levels or certain grades at GCSE so what ever stage your at, (it goes without saying) make sure you try your best! You don't want to limit your self before you've even started!

I have applied for 1000000000000 apprenticeships and internships and have been unsuccessful in them all, apart from one which I had an interview for last week. I am waiting to hear back for the results from that at some point at the end of this week. So Thursday and Friday have the potential to be amazing! Fingers crossed!

Like I have said in a previous post, results aren't everything. There is almost always a way to rectify your mistakes. AS Levels can be re-sat, (4 times if you're like my friend!) you can always resit a year of sixth form if you really need to, you might be able to defer your place at uni resit some of your exams to increase your UCAS points too. 

If all else fails with regard to exams- DON'T PANIC  You can find another way into your dream career. Just like university, exams and their results are not the be all and end all; they are a pathway to get you to an end goal


If you're worrying about results day, head over to notgoingtouni.co.uk for their results day survival guide

Results

Not everyone from my sixth form studied A Levels, some people decided to do the IB instead. 

For those of you that don't know, the IB is an international qualification in which students at sixth form level study 6 subjects (in contrast with the three or four traditionally studied at A Level) as well the Theory of Knowledge and write an Extended Essay. This diploma promises to prepare students better for their time at University. The exams for the IB are not modular, there is just one exam at the end of the two year course for each subject.

So, last Saturday was IB results day. 

Because the IB students hadn't sat any other official IB exams marked externally, they were unsure of their progress and their level in the subjects they study. Of course, by the time they find out their results, it is all too late to decide that they should have spent more time doing school work and less time partying!

Many of the IB students unfortunately were disappointed with their results, missing their University requirements by 1 or 2 points (the IB is graded on a points systems instead of lettered grades) meaning , much upset and a lot of money being spent at the pub.

It is expected and by all means, completely normal to be disappointed that you haven't been accepted into your first choice uni and the only comforting words I could conjure for my friends were "everything will work out in the end" which I stand by 100%. 

I know that for those people going to University now that it is the biggest thing in the world, and to not be accepted into the place which you had planned to spend the net three years of your life must be devastating, but the thing to remember is the university you go to is not the be all and end all. University is simply the bridge which will take you into the rest of your life. It is all about the end goal.

Everything happens for a reason and it will sort it's self out in the end. If you don't get into your frist choice uni, it wasn't meant to be. If you don't get into any unis resit the last year of college or sixthform, go to a college and study another A Level, find a different path into your desired career. 

There is always another way